Legendary former Fiorentina, AC Milan, Napoli, and Italy goalkeeper Giovanni Galli feels that Inter captain Samir Handanovic will be well aware that he will have to step backwards and let Andre Onana become the Nerazzurri’s Number One in goal sooner or later.
Speaking to Italian news outlet Gazzetta.it, the former keeper suggested that the Slovenian will have the intelligence to recognize when it is time to let the Cameroonian usurp him as the unquestioned first choice option in goal.
Onana’s arrival as the presumptive long-term successor to Handanovic has not yet displaced the captain from his spot as Inter’s first-choice keeper, as the 37-year-old has still started all of the team’s Serie A matches so far this season.
However, Onana has also made two starts, both in the Champions League, and the likelihood that the 26-year-old will be the Number One before too long seems inevitable, something which Galli expects Handanovic to be able to see.
“Handanovic has never been questioned in his decade-long career at Inter,” he said, “but he’s intelligent and he’ll start to understand that he’s not eternal.”
“Onana on the other hand has just arrived in Milan and has also played a good match in the Champions League,” he continued.
“Having two top-level goalkeepers is necessary nowadays,” Galli added, “even if the alternation involves a degree of risk. But fans don’t always understand this need of the clubs.”
