One of Manchester United’s current crop of young stars looks set to complete a Championship loan after being spotted at Bristol City’s pre-season fixture.
Manchester United are concentrating on sanctioning several loan moves over the next few weeks, amid fewer first-team opportunities for Academy players next season.
Rúben Amorim’s side are not in European competition next season after finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing the Europa League final, meaning as many as 20 games have been knocked off their football calendar.
As such, there will be fewer first-team opportunities for young players to compete in senior football at the club. Therefore, United are looking to sanction up to five further loan deals in the coming weeks to ensure their young players have the chance to play senior football.
Harry Amass, Jack Moorhouse, Ethan Wheatley, Ethan Williams, and Radek Vitek have all been lined up by the club for temporary departures.
Radek set to sign for Bristol City
Earlier this month, news broke that André Onana had suffered a hamstring injury during training, sparking speculation about who would be starting for United over the next few months.
So far, it has been second-choice Altay Bayındır and reserve shot-stopper Tom Heaton across pre-season, but many felt as if Vitek should be handed a chance after some “outstanding” displays last summer.
However, the 21-year-old was not selected as part of United’s pre-season tour squad, as Onana had made good progress on his rehabilitation.
Vitek was spotted in attendance as Bristol City defeated Plymouth Argyle 2-0 in a friendly fixture on Saturday afternoon, suggesting that the finalisation of his loan move to the Championship side is imminent.
Vitek unlikely to break through at United
Despite uncertainty surrounding the futures of Onana and Bayındır, and Heaton’s final United contract due to expire next summer, Vitek’s chances of getting a real shot at first-team action are slim.
According to numerous reports, United are seriously considering bringing in 23-year-old Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens this summer, with the Belgian having impressed scouts across Europe and having a low price tag of around £15-17 million.
Vitek’s loan move to Bristol City will be a fantastic one for him, as he will be able to impress within England’s football pyramid and gain vital first-team experience.
It feels as if this may be the Czech’s final season with United, but if he can play well next season, there is a real chance he will be picked up by a team from across Europe’s top five leagues next summer.
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