Manchester United are set to try and do business with Atalanta again this summer for the first time since the Rasmus Hojlund transfer in 2023.
The goalkeeper position at Manchester United has been a position of much discussion for well over three years at this stage, David De Gea’s decline started the discussions, with many wanting the Spaniard sold, and Andre Onana’s failure to nail down the position has meant those conversations have continued.
News has been spreading in recent weeks about whether Onana could leave the club this summer, and he remained very coy recently when speaking about whether he could stay at the club in an interview.
When asked about his future at United, Onana merely said, “Will I leave? I don’t know. We’ll see.”
There have been no formal offers for the player as of yet, but judging by his performances in the last quarter of the season for Ruben Amorim’s side, it would not be a surprise to see him moved on.
United could have made their first potential move in the direction of doing so if reports from Italy are to be believed, with reports from Atalanta media in particular suggesting Manchester United want to sign their young £34 million-rated goalkeeper.
United eyeing Carnesecchi deal
United are said to be interested in signing Marco Carnesecchi from Atalanta to potentially replace Andre Onana should he leave this summer. Carnesecchi is valued at around £34 million by his club, with United among those showing an interest in his services.
Carnsecchi, who is 24 years old, started 34 games in Serie A last season for Atalanta and 27 the season before, firmly rubber-stamping himself as the number one for La Dea, which is an impressive achievement at such a young age.
The reports come from Corriere Della Sera, the Bergamo edition of the paper, which is confident in the belief that United want to sign the young goalkeeper.
Onana has yet to confirm whether he is leaving, and there are, as previously mentioned, no concrete discussions going on for his departure at the moment, but it remains a possibility.
There is also a world where Carnesecchi is signed even if Onana stays, although that is less likely at the moment considering his price tag. United signed Onana for £55m back in 2023, and he has failed to prove enough quality between the sticks within that period.
Goalkeeper should not be a priority
United may indeed need a new goalkeeper, but the position should only be changed if United have sorted out the rest of the team beforehand. A striker, a midfielder and a number ten are much more pressing and glaring issues.
Onana has been poor at times for United, but he has not had a steady team ahead of him for large parts of his tenure. A goalkeeper who does have an error in their game will have those weaknesses exacerbated even further when sitting behind a team that doesn’t function well.
Carnsecchi would be a worthy replacement, but £34m is a lot of money for a club who are working on a limited budget this summer and need to sign at least three more players in other positions.
United are hunting for a striker at the moment as well as trying to wrap up a deal for Bryan Mbeumo. If there are any funds left over from those two purchases, a midfielder should be the next priority. Only when those three positions have been signed, sealed and delivered should United attempt to move a goalkeeper.
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