Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim is reportedly determined to bring a new goalkeeper to Old Trafford this year, with competition wanted for current number one Andre Onana.
The 28-year-old made a series of high-profile errors for the Red Devils towards the start of last season, but he recovered to finish the 2023-24 campaign on a positive note and then impressed early this term.
Onana had a difficult December, though, with the Cameroonian at fault for a number of goals, and there have been question marks surrounding his long-term future at the club.
A recent report claimed that the stopper was 'unhappy with life in Manchester' and potentially looking for a departure, with Brighton & Hove Albion'd Bart Verbruggen and Royal Antwerp's Senne Lammens believed to be targets for the Red Devils.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Amorim has decided that a new stopper is an absolute priority for the club, even if Onana stays, as the Man United head coach wants two goalkeepers to battle for the number one spot.
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Amorim 'wants Man United to sign a new goalkeeper'
Amorim allegedly does not believe that Altay Bayindir can be a number one for the club, with the Turkey international potentially leaving the 20-time English champions next year in search of pastures new.
Bayindir arrived alongside Onana in the summer of 2023, but the 26-year-old has only made four appearances, and he struggled on his last outing for the club against Tottenham Hotspur last month.
Ex-Man United head coach Erik ten Hag was reluctant to use Bayindir, and it has been the same story under Amorim, with Onana likely to be given the nod in the FA Cup against Arsenal on January 12.
As a result, it is difficult to see when Bayindir's next appearance will arrive unless Onana picks up an injury, with a departure this year possibly on the cards.
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Man United may have to bring in three new goalkeepers this summer
If Onana and Bayindir both move on, then Tom Heaton would be the club's only senior goalkeeper, and he is out of contract this summer.
As a result, Man United could find themselves having to bring in three new stoppers at the end of the campaign, which would be far from ideal considering that there are a number of other areas of the squad in need of strengthening.
Verbruggen is believed to be Man United's first choice at this moment in time, but Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are also said to be admirers of the Netherlands international, who has kept three clean sheets in 17 Premier League appearances this season.
The Red Devils have previously been heavily linked with Jan Oblak, but the 31-year-old has a contract at Atletico Madrid until the summer of 2028, and it is difficult to imagine the Slovenia international making the switch to Old Trafford.
Matt Law
