Manchester United’s goalkeeping problems show no sign of ending, even as André Onana prepares to leave on loan after two turbulent seasons at Old Trafford.
The Cameroonian, brought in for £47 million as David de Gea’s successor, has struggled to convince since his Premier League debut, where an error against Wolves set the tone for what became a string of costly mistakes. His performances, marked by inconsistency and lapses in concentration, have ensured that United’s defensive frailties remain under the spotlight.
United invested heavily in attack during the summer, signing Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Šeško in a bid to fix a frontline that produced only 44 league goals last season. Yet, the same urgency was not applied to the goalkeeping department, where Onana, Altay Bayindir, and veteran Tom Heaton have failed to inspire confidence.
Manager Rúben Amorim is left with unenviable choices. Bayindir, recruited cheaply from Fenerbahce, has looked shaky when called upon, while Heaton, now 39, is rarely trusted with a starting role. The club’s new recruit, Senne Lammens from Antwerp, is seen as a prospect for the future rather than an immediate solution — promising, but still raw and prone to errors under pressure.
Elsewhere, rivals like Manchester City have strengthened with authority, securing James Trafford and Gianluigi Donnarumma to bolster their depth. Amorim had hoped United would move decisively for Argentina’s World Cup winner Emiliano Martínez, who was open to a switch late in the transfer window, but a firm offer never materialised.
Onana’s impending loan move to Trabzonspor may remove one problem, but it does not resolve the larger issue. United have not identified or signed a goalkeeper capable of offering the reliability and authority once provided by legends like Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar, or even De Gea in his peak years. Instead, the club risks repeating a familiar cycle of short-term fixes and failed experiments, reminiscent of names such as Barthez, Bosnich, and Taibi.
For Amorim, the challenge is immediate and daunting. As United prepare for their derby clash against City, he must decide between Bayindir, whose confidence is fragile, or handing Lammens his debut in one of the most intense games of the calendar — a gamble that could either accelerate the youngster’s growth or expose the depth of United’s goalkeeping crisis.
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