Manchester United emerged from their opening game of the new Premier League season showing some overdue promise but were undone by the same old problems.
The club have spent almost £200milliion rebuilding their attack with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha starting brightly against Arsenal as Benjamin Sesko made his debut off the bench.
United are still in the market for a midfielder before the summer transfer window closes in 12 days. But Altay Bayindir’s calamitous error that allowed Riccardo Calafiori to nod home Sunday’s winner heightened concern over an issue that threatens to undermine any progress for Ruben Amorim’s side this season.
In the wake of Sunday’s defeat, Amorim defended Bayindir after his error, suggesting the Turkey international had been impeded. Andre Onana, left out of the squad that day, inspired little confidence last season with nine errors leading to goals– at fault in the Europa League final against Tottenham. At 39 years old having not played a competitive game in almost four years, Tom Heaton is not the answer.
Messages out of United this week have been there are no plans to sign a new goalkeeper. Another calamity this weekend against Fulham could change that.
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Is Emiliano Martinez the answer?
United have already explored a move for Emiliano Martinez this summer with reports suggesting Amorim personally requested the arrival of the World Cup winner, twice voted the best shop stopper on the planet. With a penchant for delivering on the biggest stages, Martinez certainly has the personality to be the commanding leader in goal United need.
In shot-stopping, his distribution and aerial presence, the Aston Villa star has been among the best in the Premier League in recent years with only Jordan Pickford (569) making more top flight saves than Martinez (530) since the Argentine joined Villa in 2020.
But judging him solely on the eye test, there appeared to be a decline in his performances last season following on from a sublime 2023-24 campaign with the data supporting it.
A save percentage of 67.9 per cent is only good enough for 14th best in the English top flight, declining from 74.4 per cent in 2022-23 when he scooped his first Lev Yashin Trophy. Only four goalkeepers conceded more than the former Arsenal youngster (45) last season.
On Sunday, Bayindir was bullied in the United goal with William Saliba putting him under pressure and forcing the error in a relatively straight forward manner.
Onana’s reluctance to come off his line for crosses has been a constant theme during his struggles and it highlights the need for United to bring in a commanding and dominant threat in the air. In that respect, Martinez could be their man. No other goalkeeper in the Premier League stopped more crosses than the Argentine during the 2024-25 season.
Donnarumma doubts
If you put aside the huge salary it might take to lure him in, Gianluigi Donnarumma would be the obvious candidate for United. Still just 26 years old, the Italy international is also the very definition of a big-game player for club and country with his string of saves in the knockout stages of last season’s Champions League just as important as the magic woven by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele.
But there is reason for caution aside from the financials. Despite his huge frame, Donnarumma can struggle with high balls with his crosses stopped percentage last season at 5% a, marginally worse than Onana’s and some way short of that of Martinez. The Italian managed just four clean sheets in his 24 Ligue 1 appearances despite PSG’s domestic dominance, recording a save percentage of 66.7 which leaves him right down in 15th place compared the rest of the division’s shot stoppers.
The wildcard option
Signing Donnarumma on a huge salary would been in fitting of previous regimes at Old Trafford but perhaps not anymore. Instead of targeting one of Europe’s established goalkeepers, an emerging name is perhaps more in line with INEOS’ thinking. With that in mind, Senne Lammens could be the answer.
The 23-year-old has drawn comparisons with his countryman Thibaut Courtois and is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers operating outside Europe’s top five leagues, still plying his trade in Belgium with Antwerp.
Similarly to Martinez, the Belgian would offer United a huge improvement dealing with crosses, boasting near identical stats to the Villa shot stopper in crossing metrics, also outranking the likes of Onana, Alisson Becker, Ederson, Jordan Pickford and Jordan Henderson.
Averaging more saves per match than both Martinez and Donnarumma with a huge save percentage of 81.4 per cent, Lammens has excelled across a number of different areas. While Donnarumma and Martinez might be regarded as the penalty saving kings on the grandest stage, the Belgian is building his own fearsome reputation, stopping five spot kicks since the start of last season – more than any other goalkeeper in Europe’s top 10 leagues during that period.
United have three very viable targets in front of them, all within a fairly modest price range. But they are running out of time to address a problem they cannot afford to let fester any longer.