Laurie Whitwell via the Talk of the Devils podcast.
There remains the slightest chance Manchester United could pursue a new shot-stopper before deadline day.
The Old Trafford faithful are certainly hoping that turns out to be the case, too.
Ruben Amorim kickstarted his first full campaign as Red Devils boss with Altay Bayindir between the sticks for Sunday’s season-opener at home to Arsenal. Andre Onana would’ve started, but his lengthy hamstring injury meant he trained only three times in the build-up to the fixture.
Bayindir came under fire before the game had even reached the halfway stage after being deemed far too weak for the Gunners’ opening goal – even if William Saliba was impeding his view.
United’s goalkeeping situation: The state of play
Last week, United sought to squash speculation that they were among Gianluigi Donnarumma’s suitors following his exile at Paris Saint-Germain. They did, however, fail in an attempt to sign Emiliano Martinez on loan earlier in the window, with Aston Villa swiftly rebuffing the proposal.
The Reds never returned to test Villa’s resolve, although it does suggest they have been considering sanctioning the arrival of a goalkeeper if it’s financially plausible.
Martinez, who’s Unai Emery’s vice-captain and is under contract at Villa Park until 2029, doesn’t really fit the bill of such requirements – hence why a cash bid was never made.
What Laurie Whitwell is hearing about Andre Onana and Gianluigi Donnarumma
On the other hand, it’s likely a new No.1 would’ve been targeted had Onana completed a move elsewhere this summer. When he was omitted from Amorim’s matchday squad for the final day of 2024/2025 in May, it prompted speculation that it spelt the end of the Cameroonian’s United tenure.
He was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia and Monaco, although nothing materialised, meaning he has stayed put ahead of his third term in M16.
Pressed on the uncertain goalkeeping situation, Laurie Whitwell said on the Talk of the Devils podcast: “I’ve been told all along that a goalkeeper would be dependent on Andre Onana’s future and there’s been no indication that he would depart this window. They made a loan bid for Emi Martinez which indicates they’re not wholly satisfied with the goalkeeper department, but not to the degree where they’d spend £30 million.
“The Donnarumma stuff… that’s not one they’re going to pursue. There are caveats, you never know what’s going to happen in the market, but I don’t sense any great appetite to pursue that [position] because they’ve money elsewhere, on the goals, which was the big point that they needed to address.”
