English club Manchester United have completed the signing of Cameroonian goalkeeper Andre Onana from Italian side Inter Milan for 51 million euros ($57m).

The transfer announced on Thursday will see the 27-year-old join United on a five-year contract. There is also an option to extend the deal by a further 12 months, and United will have to pay 4 million euros ($4.5m) in add-ons, dependent on his success at the club.

“To join Manchester United is an incredible honour, and I have worked hard all my life to get to this moment, overcoming many obstacles along the way,” Onana said.

He will now join his new teammates on their preseason tour of the United States.

Onana replaces David de Gea, who announced his departure from United this month after 12 years at the club.

Comfortable with the ball at his feet, Onana should allow manager Erik ten Hag, with whom he won three Dutch titles at Ajax, to implement his plans to build play from defence, which he struggled to do with de Gea last season.

Onana’s footwork was repeatedly cited by Pep Guardiola as one of Inter’s key strengths ahead of the Champions League final last month, which Manchester City won 1-0.

Onana spent only one season at Inter, where he won the Italian Cup and Super Cup. He also helped the club reach the Champions League final.

He was sent home from last year’s World Cup in Qatar after a dispute with coach Rigobert Song. He later announced he had ended his career with Cameroon’s national team.