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New York Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Shopping for Amorim and Man Utd: Martinez, Chevalier and other goalkeeping options
Welcome to another edition of 'Shopping for Amorim', where we look into areas that Manchester United's head coach may look to strengthen before the summer window shuts on September 1. Part one of this series looked at strikers. Part two went over central midfielders. Part three was initially going to cover wing-backs until a hamstring injury to Andre Onana ruled him out of playing in the club's upcoming pre-season tour in the United States. Advertisement The 29-year-old Cameroon international's absence makes an already-complicated goalkeeping situation even more complex. Patchy form and dips in confidence saw Onana fall out of fan favour towards the end of last season, second-choice Altay Bayindir has looked uncertain on the few occasions he has played in the Premier League and third-choice Tom Heaton is now 39. Radek Vitek made 28 appearances for Austrian top-flight side BW Linz on loan last season and could go out again. Onana had looked set to begin the season as United's No 1 goalkeeper but the club have been monitoring several options for the position. As David Ornstein reported in The DealSheet on Tuesday, if a goalkeeper is acquired, it does not necessarily mean Andre Onana will depart. Some of the players in our shopping list are seen as potential deputies, others as potential competitors for the starting spot. Here's an attempt at sourcing Amorim-friendly goalkeepers. Amorim primarily had Antonio Adan between the posts during his four and a half years managing Portugal's Sporting CP and, to put it very bluntly, enjoys goalkeepers of the 'vanilla ice cream' variety. Dependable. Unfussy. To the point. That is not to say United couldn't benefit from having one who can do all of things his predecessor Erik ten Hag hoped Onana would offer when the Cameroonian arrived at Old Trafford from Inter of Italy in 2023, but Amorim's interpretation of a 3-4-3 system reduces the need for the goalkeeper to be an active participant in early build-up, given much of the play is orchestrated by the back three and wing-backs. An Amorim goalkeeper is typically a burly shot-stopper who has a reasonable-to-good command of his six-yard box. (Please note that both previous 'Shopping for Amorim' pieces this season have suggested that an Amorim-friendly player is tall and physically aggressive.) Last month, The Athletic explored United's interest in Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez. A World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, Martinez is a quality goalkeeper who ranks among the Premier League's best when claiming high balls. There was a noticeable dip in his form last season after the turn of the calendar year but the 32-year-old represents a pragmatic option to people at United. Advertisement John Victor, 29, of Botafogo has also been scouted. The 6ft 5in (196cm) Brazilian was most recently seen at the Club World Cup, and is noteworthy for his passing distribution over longer distances. John opts for driven, long balls into the middle and final thirds rather than the floatier lobs of Martinez and others. His possible signing would be as a second-choice goalkeeper rather than a ready-made starter in the Premier League. Andrii Lunin has served as Thibaut Courtois' deputy at Real Madrid for the past five years, and the 26-year-old Ukraine international is one of the best second-choice goalkeepers in club football. A serious knee injury to Courtois saw him take over Madrid's goalkeeping duties for the majority of the 2023-24 season — 12 clean sheets in 32 matches followed (10 in his 21 La Liga appearances). Lunin is a no-nonsense goalkeeper. He combines sensible footwork and sharp reflexes to make saves such as this one against Osasuna in March 2024. He's also good at making himself big when smothering those who seek to score from crosses and cutbacks, as demonstrated here against Valencia in that same month. Some of Lunin's saves are reminiscent of a young David de Gea, contorting his legs into a 'long barrier' cricket-fielder manoeuvre to block low shots fired in towards the near post. Madrid's 5-1 victory against Valencia in November 2023 saw an excellent example of this. We've cued up the following YouTube video at 42 seconds, so you can watch the save in full flow. Don't have time to watch the video? Look at how Lunin moves after Hugo Duro nabs the ball inside the penalty area. First, there's his proactive stance as the Valencia striker prepares to turn and face the goal… … then there's the quick collapse of his legs to stop Duro's shot from going under him. Lunin went on to defy Duro again in the game during a one-v-one, setting himself up well when he was put through on goal… … before eventually smothering the shot. Lunin even holds onto the ball. When it comes to his distribution, Lunin keeps it simple, largely as a result of directives from Madrid's head coach for the past four seasons, Carlo Ancelotti, and the quality Madrid possessed in central midfield. See that 14 per cent patch of open play passes on the second pitch in the graphic below? That's Lunin wisely deciding to pass the ball to Toni Kroos when the option was on. Lunin has already fared well under the bright lights and scrutiny of life at Madrid, and if he is to make a move this summer, it will be to somewhere that will make him the club's undisputed No 1. His performances across that 2023-24 season show he is ready to make the leap from understudy to leading man. Could United provide a soft enough landing for his career's next step? Senne Lammens only turned 23 a couple of weeks ago and is yet to make his senior Belgium debut, but has garnered attention for his performances at Royal Antwerp. He comes out well in a numbers check, helping his side keep 10 clean sheets across 44 appearances last season. One way to quantify a goalkeeper's shot-stopping abilities is to examine their performance relative to post-shot expected goals (xGOT), a metric that estimates the quality of on-target shots given their placement within the goalframe, the angle from which they were taken and the distance from the target. This helps us measure how frequently the statistically average goalkeeper would save each attempt faced. Advertisement Comparing xGOT with the number of goals a 'keeper actually concedes can help us to see how well they are keeping out efforts. (Or, to put the above paragraph another way, the football analytics people have figured out how to quantify the 'he'll be disappointed not to have saved that' commentators' call after, say, a ball trickles past a goalkeeper at the near post.) A look across the Belgian Pro League and the top seven European domestic top flights (your traditional 'Big Five' of England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France, plus Portugal and the Netherlands), Lammens emerges as one of the continent's better shot-stoppers. There's good reason to believe he prevented Antwerp from conceding more than a dozen additional goals last season. Now, to apply some caveats. The above graphic cannot serve as the be-all and end-all of a goalkeeper's quality. Lammens made a lot of saves last season but the xGOT stat cannot quantify the defensive actions a good 'keeper can make without having to put their hands, feet or other body parts in the way of a ball coming their way. Great United goalkeepers such as Edwin van der Sar and Peter Schmeichel had the tactical acumen to manoeuvre their defences in such a way that opposition attacking opportunities were stopped before they had to make a save. Goalkeepers can intimidate strikers into poor shooting decisions with a good stare-down. So yes, Lammens made a lot of saves in 2024-25, but part of that is due to Antwerp's leaky defence. They finished fifth (of 16) during the Belgian Pro League's regular season, having conceded 32 goals in their 30 matches. They were then fifth again (of six) in the champions' play-offs after playing an additional 10 games, registering that round's second-worst defence. (Want to know more about the play-off system in the Belgian leagues? Check out the video from our team at Tifo below.) Opponents enjoyed multiple shots on target against Antwerp and Lammens just about kept their head above water, making numerous saves per match. A quick example of his technique can be found in February's home game against Club Brugge. Lammens has a good position on the edge of his six-yard box when Christos Tzolis is played through… … and when the attacker takes a heavy touch, Lammens pushes up to close the gap. By the time Tzolis regathers the ball, Lammens has unfurled his body to block the shot. Lammens' technique here is good, rather than great, however, and it still requires an Antwerp defender to clear the ball after his initial save. There's quality in Lammens' technique but perhaps not at the level to immediately take over as United's No 1 for the upcoming season if he is signed this summer. At 6ft 4in (193cm), he certainly has the height required to become an intimidating goalkeeper, and his distribution when the ball is at his feet is solid. Advertisement Still, there are questions over how his abilities could scale up in the Premier League, where faster, smarter and more deceptive attackers are less likely to take heavy touches when put through on goal. The good news for those at United? Lammens appears open to the idea of life at Old Trafford. 'The first time I heard it (a transfer link to the club), I thought: 'Wow', because I've only played one full season at Antwerp,' he told Belgian newspaper Gazet van Antwerpen in mid-February. 'If something comes along that I can hardly say no to and that will benefit the club, I'll have to think about it seriously.' The complicated news? That part comes from Antwerp's sporting director Marc Overmars… 'The transfer of Senne Lammens has to happen, because we've already signed his replacement (Taishi Brandon Nozawa of FC Tokyo arrived in June),' Overmars told the same outlet this month. 'We'd rather not see a Butez-Lammens scenario again (Jean Butez lost his place to Lammens last season and was sold to Como of Italy three weeks ago). 'Senne is our most sought-after player. There are plenty of clubs ready to make a move.' Lammens is available for a relatively affordable price. That fact may mean United will have to compete with other clubs, should they make a move in his direction. United appeared close to signing goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Uruwa Red Diamonds two seasons ago, but he rejected the move and was then loaned to Sint-Truidense for the 2023-24 season. He kept six clean sheets in 50 appearances for the Belgian club before signing for Parma of Italy. The American-born 22-year-old's standout trait is his distribution. His technique on goal kicks is remarkable; firing long, drilled passes well past the halfway line and — on occasions — all the way into the final third. If Suzuki can see you in space before a goal kick, there's a good chance he can get you the ball. His passing skills in open play are layered and frankly brilliant. He's fond of the chipped through ball to the full-back that has become a go-to move for modern goalkeepers looking to beat the first wave of pressure. His hands? He isn't bad with them, either. Suzuki was one of Serie A's best goalkeepers when it came to claiming high balls and he has earned plaudits for his quick reactions and knack for double saves. هذا ما يُسمى تصديًا إعجازيًا 😱 📏#الدوري_الإيطالي — الدوري الايطالي (@SerieA_AR) February 18, 2025 Turning 23 next month, this is a goalkeeper likely to rank among the world's best by the end of the decade. In 2023, The Athletic highlighted Lucas Chevalier as one of Europe's most exciting players under the age of 25. Why? Because the Lille goalkeeper can do things like this. You need to know about this goalkeeper 🚨 Lucas Chevalier is only 23 😳@losclive | #UCL — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 14, 2024 Now 23, Chevalier is perhaps the most highly-rated goalkeeper on this shortlist and has been scouted by Newcastle United. The 2022-23 season served as his breakout campaign, when Lille finished fifth in Ligue 1 and he conceded a mere 31 goals in 32 games, while keeping 10 clean sheets. Chevalier is pushing hard for inclusion in Didier Deschamps' France team ahead of the 2026 World Cup. He is not yet the finished article (he has a tendency to spill some saves, leading to rebound opportunities — similar to Onana and Porto's Diogo Costa) but ticks so many boxes he'll surely be on the move to a bigger club soon. Advertisement There's an amphibious quality to his many forays outside of the traditional goalkeeper's habitat of the six-yard box. Chevalier has no issue shooting off his line to serve as a sweeper when Lille require an additional outfield defender, and he is very comfortable passing the ball from outside of his penalty area when operating as an extra centre-back during early build-up. While Chevalier's passing distribution is not at the level Onana's was during his one season with Inter in 2022-23, his repertoire is good and rapidly growing towards excellent. When Lille face teams who play with a high defensive line, it often falls to their goalkeeper to get the ball into the final third with low, driven goal kicks into the channels for onrushing attackers. Acquiring him would be costly for United, so he should best be considered one for the 'If Sir Jim wins the Euromillions' list. 𝟵𝟬'+𝟵: A save that's worth a goal @_lc30_ 🧤✨ @LOSC_EN — Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) March 20, 2023 To put it bluntly: Chevalier is a Pep Guardiola goalkeeper hiding in plain sight. If Onana can perform anywhere near his levels from 2022-23, then Amorim has little need to go into the market for a new goalie this summer. Yet his current injury has thrown a wrench into whatever early plans the head coach had sketched out for the start of the season. Goalkeepers thrive when they're confident, and they often feel that way in stable environments where there is trust between them and the team-mates playing further up the pitch. Onana enjoyed little of that last season; several unfortunate mistakes sowed doubts about him among the United fanbase. Organising a drink-up in a brewery requires more health and safety planning than one might expect. Identifying a goalkeeper capable of flourishing at United requires a similar amount of logistical groundwork. Not to mention the need for future-proofing other areas to avoid future headaches. United have a composure problem between the sticks at the moment. Amorim and United's recruitment team will hope to bring certainty and clarity before 2025-26 begins in earnest in just over three weeks. (Top photos: Chevalier, left, and Luinin; Getty Images)
BBC News
15-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Goalkeeper 'the first thing to sort' or is 'midfield general the priority'?
We asked how big a priority signing a new goalkeeper should be for Manchester United in the transfer Onana's hamstring injury means he is missing the club's tour of the United States, so Altay Bayindir is likely to be Ruben Amorim's first choice in are some of your comments:David: It was a priority before Onana's injury, now they have to buy a new goalkeeper and keep Onana until at least January. If they had gone for a new goalie straight away, Onana may have left. It is a I don't think it is the biggest priority at all. Radek Vitek can be given a run as he has had a good loan spell out. John Victor might be a good shout but the priority is getting a deal for forward Bryan Mbeumo over the line, as well as maybe Dusan Vlahovic if he is supposedly available, and clearing those out who don't want to work for the Onana must be the first thing to sort. He is not a Premier League keeper and the defence ends up sitting deeper because they don't trust him. United should sign Emiliano Martinez as soon as possible or nothing will Goalkeeper is not a priority. First, we need to get Mbeumo in, then a striker and midfielder, and also bolster the We do need a new keeper. However, the priority is for a midfield general and has been for 10 years!Paul: Onana inspires zero confidence in our defence with his haphazard style. Every successful team needs the keeper to be a rock and, unfortunately, Onana isn't even a pebble. The sooner he goes and makes way for a keeper of Premier League quality the The severity of Onana's poor performances last season have been massively exaggerated. He was below par, but so was the entire squad. We scored 44 league goals last season. On our limited budget we shouldn't even consider signing a keeper until the problem of our non-existent attack is and follow your Premier League club on BBC Sport
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
How big of a priority is a new goalkeeper?
BBC Radio Manchester's Gaz Drinkwater will not be alone in thinking Manchester United need a new is two years since both Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana arrived in the summer of 2023 and after a catalogue of shaky performances, many think they need a goalkeeper is not the only position that requires new tell us, how big a priority is a new goalkeeper? Is it towards the top of the wishlist - or if not, which positions are the most important?Or indeed, are you happy with the current crop?Tell us here
Qatar Tribune
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Goalkeeper Onana ruled out of Man Utd's pre-season US tour
PA Media/dpa London Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has been ruled out of playing in the club's pre-season tour of the United States with a hamstring injury. The 29-year-old Cameroon international has responded well to initial treatment and will join his team-mates on the flight to America later this month, but he will focus on recovery and will not feature in the Premier League Summer Series. Altay Bayindir, 27, is expected to deputise during United's pre-season campaign, which begins with a match against Leeds in Stockholm on July 19 before they head to the US to face West Ham United, Bournemouth and Everton in a tournament that takes place from July 27 to August 3. United's final pre-season friendly will be a match against Fiorentina at Old Trafford on August 9 before they begin the Premier League campaign at home to Arsenal on August 17. Veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton, 39, signed a new one-year deal to remain with United earlier this week.
Daily Mirror
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Man Utd star's agent holds Carrington talks after injury blow rocks Ruben Amorim
Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir remains Ruben Amorim's second-choice shot-stopper behind under-fire No.1 Andre Onana Altay Bayindir's agent has been at Carrington this week to discuss his client's Manchester United future. The Turk, signed from Fenerbahce for £4.3million, has played second fiddle to Andre Onana since arriving at Old Trafford in September 2023. Bayindir has not featured for the Turkey national team since a 3-0 defeat to Portugal at Euro 2024 and his representative Sefa Seyrek has been keen to understand the shot-stopper's role for the forthcoming season. United are now flirting with the idea of signing a new goalkeeper following Onana's hamstring injury that's expected to prevent him from featuring on the club's pre-season tour of the United States. Botafogo's John Victor is one of several names currently under consideration. Despite Onana's calamitous form, Bayindir only made 10 appearances in all competitions last term and was not given a fair crack at replacing the Cameroonian as Ruben Amorim's No.1. READ MORE: Man Utd bank millions from sell-on fees including £7.2m for star who never played a game The 27-year-old, who reported for pre-season training on Thursday, also snubbed multiple offers from Europe to stay with the Red Devils in January, however, there have been fresh enquiries about his situation in recent weeks. While it's understood United would likely have considered respectable bids for Onana this summer, they're currently prioritising improving their options at the top end of the pitch where marquee additions are concerned. Third-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton penned a fresh one-year contract extension last month and the Red Devils were believed to be satisfied with their options in reserve between the sticks - prior to Onana's muscle injury sustained in training. Onana wants to remain at Old Trafford and prove his worth but last month, he refused to provide any assurances he'd be with the club next season. His injury now makes any imminent exit unlikely. He said during a brief interview while on his holidays: "Will I leave? I don't know, we'll see!" Reacting to Onana's eight-word statement, ex-United goalkeeping great Edwin van der Sar claimed that in his view, the position was not a burning issue for Amorim. Van der Sar, who worked with the Cameroonian at Ajax, said of Onana: "He has great strengths. He's athletic. He has good reaction saves. Good with his feet and everything. I'm sure he's going to get over it. "Sometimes it's not easy. Sometimes your performances or the pressure there is. But I've seen him play for Ajax, for Inter, Champions League finals. I'm sure he's going to be fine for next season. "I think there are more areas where United should see if you can have a better player, a different player. But I don't think the goalkeeping situation needs to be addressed now."
