Andre Onana appears to be on his way, but Erik ten Hag will still have a goalkeeper problem at Man United and could need to be promoted from within.
He pretty much sums up Manchester United’s transfer woes who could spend £50million on a goalkeeper this week and still have a little crunch in that part of the pitch.
A new No. 1 looks set to be the next big one at Carrington and barring major problems, that will be Andre Onana. United remain optimistic about the possibility of reuniting Erik ten Hag with another of their former Ajax stars.
But while the quality of their first-choice shooter would have significantly improved with the arrival of the 27-year-old, the problems further down the pecking order have only gotten worse, with Dean Henderson expected to join Nottingham Forest permanently and Tom Heaton interested in a Premier League tie .
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United could realistically lose all three of their senior goalkeepers this summer and the Manchester Evening News understand they would be open to signing a second goalkeeper after Onana. But concerns about financial fair play could limit spending and force Ten Hag to promote from within.
A lack of other options saw Matej Kovar enjoy 45 minutes in goal against Leeds United this week, and he was one of many academy stars to catch the eye. The 23-year-old wasn’t challenged much but looked incredibly confident on the ball, inviting pressure and refusing to get caught up in aimlessly kicking the ball.
Kovar was loaned to Sparta Prague in his native Czech Republic last season, making 28 appearances and winning the Czech title. He was previously a regular for United’s under-23s and impressed with his shot-stopping ability.
The one big question hanging over the Czech youth international is how he copes with leading a defensive unit of first-team calibre. With the utmost respect for Sparta Prague and their Under-23 side, getting behind a world-class back four is a whole new challenge for a young goalkeeper.
Many may take a back seat, but at United goalkeepers have to command their own box and the defensive unit in front of them. Being a passenger is not an option. Almost the entire United squad has returned to Carrington ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Lyon, allowing Ten Hag to fall back on his main defense if he so chooses. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have all played in Oslo, while Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw were among 15 players to return this weekend.
They could all play on Wednesday, which means the front line could be back together. While a friendly against Lyon is far from a competitive game, this could be a chance for Kovar to prove himself behind a world-class defense.
Pre-season promises are always to be taken with a grain of salt and the encouraging performances of Zidane Iqbal and Jadon Sancho last summer prove that this is not an exact science. But Kovar has already ticked many boxes in his quest for a place in the first team.
If the 23-year-old is comfortable barking orders at the likes of Varane and Martinez, it will give Ten Hag plenty to think about before the US tour.
