Over the past two seasons, Manchester United have slowly started to experience some goalkeeping issues alongside an array of questionable decision-making. The Red Devils had David de Gea between the sticks for over a decade, but even he endured troubles at the tail end of a decorated tenure.
De Gea’s decline partly led to the club signing Andre Onana from Inter Milan for £47.2 million in the summer of 2023, with Erik ten Hag a notable fan of his former Ajax goalkeeper.
Onana was flying high, arriving on the back of a superb Champions League final performance as his side finished as runners-up in European football’s premier competition.
Unfortunately, the move has failed to deliver thus far. The Cameroon international has struggled badly in Manchester, with a catalogue of errors illuminating his troubles.
The biggest flaw with Onana at Manchester United
There is no doubt about it, Onana is a talented goalkeeper.
He is a risk-taker but can also be a decent shot-stopper with a reputation for being good with the ball at his feet. Unfortunately, his maverick attitude can make him error-prone.
This tends to affect a United defence that appears regularly on edge during matches as their keeper fumbles or parries shots into dangerous areas.
Even his much-heralded ball-playing ability has been severely lacking in his game.
Despite recent claims that the 29-year-old will be staying put after two full seasons in M16, it feels like the writing is on the wall for the former Inter Milan custodian.
I suspect he will likely be replaced in the not-too-distant future.
What about Bayindir as an alternative?
Unfortunately, backup shot-stopper Altay Bayindir hasn’t fared much better at Old Trafford and has failed to convince Ruben Amorim that he is the solution to the current goalkeeping woes.
The Turkish international has been given more minutes under the Portuguese head coach, having rarely featured under his predecessor, Ten Hag.
Despite his penalty-saving heroics in January’s FA Cup triumph at rivals Arsenal, Bayindir has struggled in English football when stepping in sporadically throughout the season.
The former Fenerbahce man looks uncertain with his distribution and does not instil much confidence that he can be a long-term presence in the North West.
Tom Heaton will remain the third-choice goalkeeper, having recently penned a new 1-year deal until June 2026.
United could be forced into the market
The goalkeeping struggles at Manchester United could prompt the club to look elsewhere this summer.
Sticking with Onana is, of course, still an option. However, he is low on confidence, and it would represent a risk going into another season with him as the first-choice.
The English giants should at least consider bringing in a goalkeeper to try and challenge the Cameroonian for the No. 1 jersey, if not replace him.
With many names touted for a potential move to the 20-time champions, we look at some tipped-for activity in 2025.
Lucas Chevalier (Lille)
23-year-old Lucas Chevalier of Lille has impressed this season, and United have been monitoring him for some time.
Any move for the France U21 international may well hinge on whether or not Onana leaves the club this summer.
Chevalier is regarded as one of the biggest prospects in European football. Given his high potential and the growing attention in Paris, the player would command a significant transfer fee.
Senne Lammens (Royal Antwerp)
The second name on our list is Senne Lammens – a goalkeeper the Mancunian outfit admires.
The 22-year-old star plays for Royal Antwerp in Belgium and has earned widespread comparisons to De Gea with his playing style.
Standing 6-feet-3-inches tall, Lammens enjoyed a productive campaign at club level, where he made 40 appearances, and would represent a bargain low-cost option for the Reds with massive potential.
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
The most discussed rumour in this department has been that of Aston Villa World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez.
Hotly-tipped for a move to Old Trafford, the 32-year-old would undoubtedly bring a wealth of experience to Manchester.
The former Arsenal prospect has somewhat of a reputation for being on the crazy side, but he could represent an attractive short-term solution to Amorim’s goalkeeping situation.
Again, this will all depend on Onana’s future, with any potential move looking unlikely if the Cameroon native stays put.
Villa are said to value Martinez somewhere in the region of £30-£40 million.
Learning from past struggles
Famously, Sir Alex Ferguson struggled to find a replacement for the departing Peter Schmeichel in 1999, with the Dane widely considered United’s greatest-ever goalkeeper.
Ferguson opted to go with the safe bet of Premier League-proven Mark Bosnich, but the Australian struggled for form and fitness.
Next up was the French World Cup and Euro 2000 winner Fabien Barthez. A maverick by nature, Barthez started well and wooed fans with his silky footwork and spectacular shot-stopping, as United sauntered to a third league title in a row.
Things turned sour for Barthez thereafter. The Frenchman suffered a remarkable dip in form, culminating in some high-profile errors.
Fergie had seen enough and moved for up-and-coming American stopper Tim Howard from the MetroStars.
Like Barthez, Howard started well but would soon suffer a similar fate, losing his confidence – and his place – to understudy Roy Carroll.
The Reds finally found their Schmeichel replacement with the masterstroke signing of veteran Edwin van der Sar from Fulham in 2005. As we know, De Gea arrived from Atletico Madrid to take over the mantle, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Make no mistake, Manchester United and Amorim will want to avoid a similar search ahead of a crucial summer window.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments or across our social channels.
Photo by mrogowski_photography via depositphotos.com
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