Manchester United have reportedly “made contact” over a potential move for Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen but will face stiff competition from Serie A for the Dutch international.
Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport (as relayed by Sports Witness) reveals the Red Devils have “asked for information about signing” Verbruggen with the form of Old Trafford’s current goalkeeper, Andre Onana, leaving a lot to be desired.
Inconsistent Onana
Onana, 29, continues to produce wildly inconsistent displays between the sticks for United, ranging from a sublime save one minute to an inexplicable mistake the next.
The Cameroonian international’s ability to play out from the back has also significantly declined since arriving in Manchester from Inter Milan two years ago as one of the best ball-playing goalkeepers in Europe, often conceding possession with hopeless long-range passes up field.
Head coach Ruben Amorim, who inherited Onana from previous incumbent Erik ten Hag, has shown faith in the former Ajax man since he arrived from Sporting CP in November, playing him in virtually every game outside of cup competitions.
However, the Portuguese coach’s patience is likely to be increasingly tested by Onana and his unorthodox style, which appears to lend itself to producing mistakes.
United hold a long-standing interest in Verbruggen and were strongly linked with a move for the Dutchman when he was still at Anderlecht, only for Brighton to swoop in 2023 and secure a deal for £17 million.
And Gazzetta dello Sport claim the Seagulls would be likely to demand “more than double” that amount now should they sell Verbruggen this summer.
This is an underestimation, however, given the 22-year-old’s contract at the Amex runs until 2028 and Brighton’s executive branch are notoriously strong negotiators.
A Better Option in Italy?
The report also reveals Serie A giant AC Milan are interested in Verbruggen as their number one, Mike Maignan, enters the final year of his contract this summer (expires June 2026).
Gazzetta dello Sport contends there is “trouble over a renewal” between I Rossoneri and the French international with Milan “searching for options” should negotiations breakdown.
Maignan, 29, is one of the premier goalkeepers in Europe and is the perfect age for a goalkeeper. He has excellent fundamentals – in contrast to Onana – and possesses a tall, powerful frame, standing over 6’3. He is a brilliant shot stopper but is also adept at playing out from the back, lending himself to a progressive style of play.
If United are to make the decision to move on from Onana this summer, which is a big if given the club’s constrained transfer budget and sheer number of positions requiring upgrades, then the Reds should be targeting Maignan, rather than the younger option Milan would seek to replace the world-class Frenchman with.
Feature image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
