Manchester United are reportedly keeping close tabs on Eintracht Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos ahead of the summer transfer window.
The goalkeeper position is increasingly becoming a huge concern for Ruben Amorim and the recruitment department, amidst uncertainty over Andre Onana and his deputy, Altay Bayindir. Both shot-stoppers have proven to be extremely error-prone and therefore unreliable.
Onana was culpable for both goals United conceded in the 2-2 Europa League draw with Lyon last week. The Cameroonian was dropped from United’s matchday squad for the subsequent Premier League meeting with Newcastle as a result. Bayindir was given the nod to start between the sticks but failed to justify his selection, conceding four goals from six shots on target and gifting the Magpies their fourth goal of the evening.
There has been increased chatter that Onana and Bayindir’s days at Old Trafford are numbered, with the club now gearing to dip into the market for their replacements. United have been linked to a number of goalkeepers including Lucas Chevalier (Lille), James Trafford (Newcastle), Senne Lamments (Royal Antwerp) and Bart Verbruggen (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Last month, a report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that United attempted to sign Santos last year but they failed in their bid to land him as Frankfurt reacted quickly and tied him down to fresh terms.
Santos has been tipped to be the successor to Ederson (Manchester City) and Allison (Liverpool) in the Brazil national team.
Now, Sport Bild claim that United have renewed their interest in Santos and have even made an enquiry for him, potentially with a view to getting a deal over the line.
According to the German news outlet, “all of Europe’s top clubs” have the 23-year-old on their list. It’s understood that after his fine performance for Frankfurt against Tottenham Hotspur last week, the North London club’s technical director, Johan Lange, asked about his availability.
Lange was not alone as United’s director of recruitment Christopher Vivell, also spoke to Frankfurt chief Markus Krösche about Santos. Vivell is believed to have asked about Santos’ “future plans.”
Sport Bild note that anyone who wants Santos will have to fork out in excess of €60m to secure his services. Frankfurt have no desire to offload him unless a huge bid arrives.
Those close to the Vassouras-born footballer are of the opinion that he would benefit from staying at Frankfurt in the meantime to refine his trade and then seek a bigger move later in his career. They liken his situation to Bayern Munich legend Manuel Neuer, who made his name at Schalke before completing a switch to Bavaria.
Santos has made 13 appearances this season across the Bundesliga and Europa League. He has conceded 18 goals and kept three clean sheets in that period.
He made an immediate impact on his debut, coming off the bench at half-time to replace the injured Kevin Trapp during Frankfurt’s win over Wolfsburg. Standing at 6’4″, he’s a physically imposing goalkeeper with a strong, commanding presence between the posts.
After his performance in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham, German football legend Lothar Matthäus branded his saves “world-class.”
It remains to be seen whether United will intensify their pursuit of Santos or be deterred by his hefty price tag.
Feature image Alex Grimm via Getty Images
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Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
