A REFUSAL to sign a goalkeeper — any keeper — has bitten Manchester United firmly on the backside.
The club’s recruitment team have been so obsessed by boosting their firepower this summer they failed to address the hugely important issue that is lurking right under their noses.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim should consider signing a goalkeeperMark Pain / Alamy Live News
Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir have proven to be inconsistent in goalAction/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Man Utd won’t need Gianluigi DonnarummaGetty Images
Man Utd should consider Aston Villa star Emiliano MartinezIvan Terron/AFP7/Shutterstock
Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, which featured another embarrassing cock-up by Altay Bayindir, once again proved Ruben Amorim must sign a new keeper over the next couple of weeks.
United’s technical director Jason Wilcox needs to make up his mind whether to bring in either a new No 1 or, at the very least, a decent back-up.
Yet you get the impression there is a chance United might not bother bringing anyone in — and that would be an unforgivable mistake.
The club can forget about their complete transformation, which is the reason they have spent big at the other end of the pitch, unless they address an obvious problem which is becoming embarrassing.
Back-up keeper Bayindir only played against Arsenal on Sunday due to the fact Amorim felt Andre Onana — despite having recovered from a hamstring injury — was not fit enough to return immediately because of a lack of games in pre-season. This is fair enough.
After the loss to Arsenal, Amorim reacted with bemusement to a perfectly legitimate question over whether United’s third-choice Tom Heaton should have started ahead of Turkish stopper Bayindir as he has played more Premier League games.
Bayindir produced some weak goalkeeping from Declan Rice’s corner just 13 minutes in at Old Trafford — getting a touch but allowing the ball to loop up and goalwards, gifting Riccardo Calafiori the chance to touch it over the line.
This is the same keeper who was beaten directly from a Son Heung-min corner in the chaotic 4-3 Carabao Cup quarter-final loss at Tottenham last December.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
A few weeks earlier than that, in Amorim’s first Premier League defeat as manager, Onana and his team conceded two goals at corners in another Premier League defeat to Arsenal.
United’s keeper coach is Jorge Vital, who arrived with Amorim from Sporting.
Man Utd’s transfer deals
IN
Bryan Mbeumo – from Brentford – £71m
Matheus Cunha – from Wolves – £62.5m
Diego Leon – from Cerro Porteno – £7m
Benjamin Sesko – from RB Leipzig – £74m
TOTAL – £214.5m
OUT
Victor Lindelof – released
Christian Eriksen – released
TOTAL – £0m
While the manager’s English is just outstanding, it seems as though Vital is still getting to grips with the language.
Vital, you may remember, was mentioned when Amorim — in an extraordinary dig at Marcus Rashford — said he would have preferred to select the 64-year-old over any player who did not meet his standards.
On his podcast, former Old Trafford defender Gary Neville said: “There’s a glaring issue that Manchester United cannot ignore and it is the fact they need to find a goalkeeper.
“They have to. I’m unequivocal on that because I had an experience with Man United for 20 years where there were two big periods of seven or eight years with Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar.
“However, they need to sort the goalkeeper because they concede goals and lose points. And that continually undermines what you are doing.”
Some United fans, including Neville, would love to see Gianlugi Donnarumma join the club but this seems unlikely.
Donnarumma not the answer
For a start, his wages are massive and secondly, although he is an extraordinary shot-stopper and is brilliant at saving penalties, he is not perfect.
The Italian is not great with the ball at his feet and he can also be suspect at high balls into the area.
This is why Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has decided new arrival Lucas Chevalier has a better “profile” for his team.
SunSport exclusively revealed United have made discreet checks over a remarkable return for club legend David de Gea from Fiorentina.
Amorim’s side were tipped off that the 34-year-old Spaniard — who kept 190 clean sheets in 545 Red Devils appearances — has a clause in his deal allowing him to leave for a relatively small sum.
United have looked at Benfica keeper Diogo Costa but he could cost between £55million and £65m.
The club have also been scouting Antwerp’s Senne Lammens, 23, and the Belgian could be a decent option as No 2 keeper.
Yet the solution for United could well be staring them in the face. Wilcox should make a short trip down the M6 and do a deal with Aston Villa for World Cup-winner Emi Martinez.
Surely, the Argentine — suspended for Villa’s opening 0-0 draw against Newcastle on Sunday — would jump at the chance. It might cost United up to £40m but he would be worth it.
