Manchester United clearly have many areas they need to upgrade for the 2025/26 Premier League season.
With The Times reporting that they are looking at a wing-back, a number 9, a central midfielder and a goalkeeper after the Bryan Mbeumo deal is completed, it’s shaping up to be a busy summer.
However, no position is more crucial than goalkeeper.
United were often let down by Andre Onana last season in crucial moments, making errors that cost the team points.
It is essential that United at least bring in strong competition for Onana, ensuring there is a reliable backup if his mistakes continue.
One of the names being linked is Botafogo’s John Victor.
The Brazilian keeper is valued at around £10 million, and United are believed to be preparing a bid imminently.
With this move in mind, The Athletic’s goalkeeping analyst Matt Pyzdrowski has published an article breaking down Victor’s strengths and providing supporting data.
Using that analysis, this article looks at what John Victor could bring to Manchester United — and why he might be the perfect addition to support or even replace Andre Onana at Manchester United.
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Ball Playing Ability
One of the biggest issues in Manchester United’s build-up under Ruben Amorim has been a lack of consistency and control from the back.
Andre Onana, despite being known as a top ball-playing goalkeeper during his time at Inter, has struggled to replicate that calmness and clarity at Old Trafford.
His overall pass success rate in the Premier League last season was just 72.6 per cent, often disrupted by United’s disjointed structure and lack of reliable short options.
In contrast, John Victor has completed 80.8 per cent of his passes this season – a clear sign of his cleaner, more accurate decision-making in possession.
Crucially, if forced long, as United often are under pressure, Victor also outperforms Onana.
His long pass accuracy sits at 53.4 per cent – well above Onana’s 36.6 per cent – meaning he’s not just safer in general build-up, but also far more effective when United need to go direct.
Whether it’s settling the tempo or springing attacks, Victor brings a quality United have been missing.
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Aerial Ability
One of Manchester United’s biggest defensive concerns last season was their fragility from set pieces.
Too often, opposition sides were able to create chaos in the box, with United lacking a commanding presence to take control of those moments.
A large part of that came down to Andre Onana’s hesitancy in the air – he was frequently rooted to his line or flailed at deliveries, creating uncertainty and inviting pressure.
That’s where John Victor could offer a clear upgrade.
Standing at 6ft 5in, he brings a physical dominance that United have been crying out for.
Rather than waiting passively, Victor is proactive – often coming off his line to claim or punch clear.
In the Premier League, where aerial duels are relentless and every set piece is a potential danger, having a goalkeeper who commands his box could be the difference between dropped points and clean sheets.
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Shot Stopping
At the end of the day, the most important job of any goalkeeper is simple: keep the ball out of the net.
It’s an area where Andre Onana has faced heavy criticism at Manchester United.
However, John Victor truly excels.
In 2024, he outperformed expectations by preventing eight goals more than the average goalkeeper would have saved, based on the xGOT metric.
This statistic highlights his ability to deny high-quality shots that would likely beat other keepers.
Such numbers demonstrate reflexes, smart positioning and reading of the game.
In contrast, Andre Onana has struggled to consistently produce saves of this calibre, sometimes misjudging his positioning or overcommitting.
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Conclusion
For a relatively modest fee of £10 million, John Victor represents an excellent backup option for Manchester United’s goalkeeper position.
Should Andre Onana fail to rediscover the consistency and form that convinced the club to sign him from Inter, Victor’s shot-stopping, aerial presence, and reliable passing could provide vital cover.
His strengths address several of United’s recent weaknesses, offering competition that could push the squad forward.
Investing in Victor now would ensure United have a dependable alternative ready to step in, should Onana keep costing the club in crucial moments
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