Matej Kovar has played in three of Manchester United’s four pre-season halves so far, but has not left for the United States.
Manchester United have left goalkeeper Matej Kovar out of their pre-season tour squad as he is due to return on loan.
Kovar, 23, came on as a second-half substitute in United’s first friendly against Leeds United in Oslo last week and played the full 90 minutes in Lyon’s 1-0 defeat in Edinburgh on Wednesday.
A source says “many clubs” are interested in Kovar after he went on 32 loan spells with Sparta Prague, who won the Czech Premier League last season.
Kovar, who first trained with United’s first team when Jose Mourinho was manager, has also spent time on loan at Swindon Town and Burton Albion. His contract runs until 2025.
United manager Erik ten Hag has called Dean Henderson into the tour squad despite huge interest from Nottingham Forest as they haven’t received an acceptable offer to sell the goalkeeper.
Forest initially offered a loan deal with a commitment to buy Henderson, 26, if he makes a number of appearances. Henderson’s season on loan at Forest was cut short by a hamstring injury which has sidelined him since January.
Henderson underwent surgery in early May but is on the verge of a full recovery and hopes to be able to play again soon. He is still expected to be sold as United prepare to announce the signing of Andre Onana.
Tom Heaton is United’s oldest available goalkeeper on tour in the United States until Onana’s departure. Onana arrived at United’s Carrington training complex yesterday to complete his medical checks and apply for a visa ahead of his £47.7m move from Inter Milan. Onana was due to travel to Manchester on Tuesday evening but his flight was cancelled.
Alternate goaltender Nathan Bishop and Kovar’s compatriot Radek Vitek are the other goalies who have gone on tour.
