Manchester United's goalkeeping department has been a consistent problem for several years, and despite numerous attempts to find a new number one, the club have thus far failed to find a reliable, long-term solution between the posts.
David de Gea, once widely regarded as one of the best in the world during his time for the Red Devils, saw his form nosedive in his latter years at Old Trafford, with the goalkeeper struggling with distribution and making repeated errors under both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag, eventually forcing the club to move past the Spaniard.
Following De Gea’s departure in 2023, Manchester United signed Andre Onana from Inter Milan for around £50m, hoping his elite ball-playing skills and standout performances during Inter’s run to the 2022-23 Champions League final would provide the Red Devils with a reliable presence capable of helping lead the team to the next level.
However, Onana's time at the club has been marred by repeated mistakes both in the Premier League and in European competition, leading to backup keeper Altay Bayindir being given the opportunity as the main shot-stopper at the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign.
The Turkish international has similarly failed to inspire confidence so far this term, and alarmingly, both Bayindir and Onana have already been guilty of glaring errors in only the first four matches of the season, leading to Man Utd ramping up their efforts to sign a new number one in the final hours of the transfer window.
Here, Sports Mole takes a look at the two options that Manchester United are pursuing as they aim to solve their six-year goalkeeping problem.
Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez pictured on October 19, 2024
Love him or hate him, Martinez has become one of the world’s top goalkeepers since moving from Arsenal to Aston Villa in 2020, and his proven ability on the biggest of stages make him arguably the ideal candidate for Manchester United’s goalkeeping position.
The 32-year-old has not only developed into one of the Premier League's best goalkeepers, but Martinez has also established himself on the international stage for Argentina, helping his national team to back-to-back Copa America titles and the World Cup trophy in 2022, where Martinez was the penalty shootout hero in both the quarter-final and final.
Martinez's reputation as the man for the biggest moments make him an attractive option for Manchester United, who have lacked a goalkeeper capable of rising to the occasion in pressure situations since the very best years of De Gea.
Furthermore, Martinez's confidence and arrogance mean he will certainly be up for the challenge, while these attributes also help him in commanding his box and defence - two things that Onana and Bayindir have been seriously criticised for in recent weeks.
The Argentinian had appeared to say goodbye to the Villa fans at the end of the 2024-25 season amid rumours that he wanted a move away from the club, and Martinez was most recently left out of the squad for Aston Villa's clash with Crystal Palace, with reports that Manchester United have made contact regarding a potential move.
A deal for the goalkeeper could prove to be costly, but with Alejandro Garnacho's departure confirmed, while Rasmus Hojlund and Antony are being heavily linked with moves away, Manchester United may be willing to spend the money to finally solve their goalkeeping situation.
Royal Antwerp's Senne Lammens pictured in July 2025
If a deal for Martinez becomes too complicated, Manchester United have also been keeping tabs on Royal Antwerp shot-stopper Lammens, with reports that the two clubs have been in discussion regarding the transfer fee throughout the last week of the window.
The Belgian goalkeeper has been likened to a young Thibaut Courtois, with a tall frame and impressive agility, and Man Utd may be willing to take the risk of signing a 23-year-old who could develop and grow into a similar player to the current Real Madrid keeper who has been one of Europe's best for over a decade.
A deal for Lammens may be easier to complete in the final hours of the window, with the foundations already laid with Antwerp and the fee expected to be around £20m, considerably less than what Aston Villa are supposedly demanding for their Argentine.
If Man Utd do settle on signing the Belgian, he may arrive with slightly lower expectations and pressure than Martinez, but with hopes that he could replicate De Gea's success from earlier in his Red Devils career - becoming a dependable and proven goalkeeper at Old Trafford for several years.
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