Manchester United recruited strongly this summer as Ruben Amorim aims to revive their fortunes, but the Portuguese head coach has been told he made one key error
Ruben Amorim has been told he should have signed a more experienced No. 1 for Manchester United(Image: 2025 Getty Images)
Manchester United have been told their goalkeeping problems could last for several more years after failing to sign an experienced No. 1 this summer. Andre Onana was the Red Devils’ first-choice keeper for the last two seasons, but constant errors saw him given permission to join Turkish side Trabzonspor on loan late in the most recent transfer window.
United were linked with a number of seasoned shot-stoppers as they eyed a replacement, including Emi Martinez and Gianluigi Donnarumma. However, a move for Martinez failed to materialise and he ended up staying at Aston Villa, while Donnarumma made the switch from Paris Saint-Germain to join United’s fierce rivals Manchester City.
A new goalkeeper was eventually welcomed at Old Trafford after an £18m deal was agreed for Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens. The 23-year-old was handed his debut by United head coach Ruben Amorim just before the international break, keeping a clean sheet in their 2-0 win over Sunderland in the Premier League.
But doubts persist over whether Lammens is the answer to their woes between the sticks given his lack of experience outside the Belgian Pro League. Former United keeper Ben Foster has now voiced his astonishment that they didn’t try harder to sign Martinez or Donnarumma.
Speaking on talkSPORT, the ex-Watford and Wrexham star said: “I was really shocked [that they didn’t sign Martinez]. I thought it was an absolute no-brainer. Even with Gigi Donnarumma, I thought it’s a no-brainer so just get it done.
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“You need that guy. You might have to pay over the odds for him and you might have to pay a heavy wage, but that position is then settled.
“They didn’t do it and I think it could become a situation where it might just rumble on for a few years now. I’m willing to give Lammens a chance because he got off to a fantastic start against Sunderland but it’s a big ask.”
Onana is currently enjoying happier times following his temporary move away from United and an improvement in performances in Turkey. However, Foster insists Amorim was right to let the former Inter Milan keeper leave, despite questioning his choice of replacement.
Andre Onana has enjoyed a bright start in Turkey(Image: Getty Images)
He said: “When you make the amount of mistakes that he made, then it’s inevitable that eventually you’re going to get turfed out. It’s just the way that it goes. He’s probably a little bit too hectic as a goalkeeper.
“None of it is calm and composed and in big moments, there were saves that he was making that just looked a little bit too erratic. It’s like he would panic in those moments.
“They’re the moments where you need real calmness under pressure, when the ball is coming at you at 80 miles per hour. He didn’t have that ability and I thought he let the pressure get to him a little bit too much.”
Trabzonspor are understood to be exploring the possibility of signing Onana on a permanent basis. His intention though is believed to be to make a return to Manchester in the hope of re-establishing himself as United’s No 1.
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