Manchester United’s goalkeeping options over the next few seasons are proof that the club are finally in safe hands in the controversial department.
Fresh off the emphatic 3-2 victory against Fulham, Manchester United have made it three wins in a row under Michael Carrick.
The Red Devils sit in fourth and in the driving seat for Champions League qualification as they hunt down Aston Villa in third, who are only five points ahead of United.
Summer signing Senne Lammens has provided much needed confindence between the sticks at Old Trafford. As recently as the game against Fulham, the Belgian pulled off excellent saves to prevent the London side from ever taking the lead.
However, ahead of next season, an academy graduate has emerged as a potential competitor for the No.1 spot.
Vitek continues to impress
After previous loans at Accrington Stanley and FC Blau-Weiß Linz in Austria, Radek Vitek has gone from strength to strength in the Championship with Bristol City.
The Czech goalkeeper has the joint most clean sheets in the Championship with nine in 25 games, as well as having a 70% save percentage, putting him in the top ten in that regard. He was also the Bristol player of the month for August.
The 22-year-old has also made no secret of his desire to be the main goalkeeper at Manchester United. In November, he said, “It would be a dream to play for Manchester United, but I will take it game by game, and I know there’s a big challenge in front of me, but I want to improve every week.”
He continued by accepting that his future could lie elsewhere, but he is ready to challenge for the spot. “I know they’re watching me, and I really appreciate that I’m not just the guy who is being forgotten or anything.
“Obviously, long term, I would love to play for Manchester United one day, but also I’m realistic, and I know that my pathway can lead somewhere different as well.”
According to Steven Railston of the Manchester Evening News, it would not be a surprise to see Vitek be assessed in pre-season alongside Lammens, with Vitek’s words a clear warning to the Belgian that he will not back down in a jostle for the place easily.
Goalkeeping future in safe hands
After years of uncertainty between the posts, with Andre Onana, Altay Bayndir, and the latter seasons of David de Gea failing to offer any reliability and instead displaying many erratic performances, the goalkeeping situation could not be more different.
At 23 and 22, respectively, Lammens and Vitek not only have the ability to play for Manchester United, but also, given their youth, will only get better and secure the goalkeeping situation for years.
With Lammens, the current main man, he has shown he has the temperament to handle the pressure, something his predecessors lacked. This may be why it is unlikely to see Vitek be the No.1 next season, unless there is a dramatic loss of form or injury to the Belgian.
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As a No.2, United would also have a reliable backup keeper for the first time since Sergio Romero and this goalkeeping combination could arguably be the best in the world. However, it would again be unlikely to see Vitek play a deputy role, as in the case of Dean Henderson.
In that case, he would have no shortage of suitors across Europe, and, with a sale being pure profit according to PSR, it would help United reinvest.
Regardless, this situation is a win-win for United. Either they have a solid goalkeeping situation for a decade, or they have a much-needed big academy sale, something the club have struggled to do, unlike Chelsea and Manchester City.
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