Radek Vitek has started each of Bristol City's four league games since arriving at Ashton Gate on loan from Manchester United
14:45, 03 Sep 2025
Radek Vitek has been a regular under Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber(Image: PA Wire and Getty Images)
Bristol City can help Radek Vitek “make the next big step in his career,” Gerhard Struber has insisted, with the Robins’ head coach adamant the young goalkeeper needs regular first-team football amid fan concerns he could be recalled by Manchester United in January.
Vitek has started each of the Robins’ first four Championship matches under Struber, including the Reds’ 4-2 win over Hull City last time out. While an Emil Riis brace, as well as goals from Anis Mehmeti and Max Bird, ensured it was the attacking players who stole the show, the United loanee made several important saves.
The pick of the 21-year-old’s interventions came early in the second half when he somehow reacted quickly to claw an Oli McBurnie header off of the goal line and to safety from remarkably close range. Vitek also did well to keep efforts from Kyle Joseph, Cody Drameh, and Mohamed Belloumi out to ensure City secured all three points.
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Although supporters were impressed by what they saw from the Czech stopper on his competitive debut against Sheffield United, he has seemingly only improved over the first month of the campaign, something which hasn’t surprised his head coach.
"I would say he is, in his personal decision-making moments, really good," Struber said in his post-match press conference following the win over Hull. "Of course, how he catches balls and how he makes saves in difficult moments, he was again really reliable, but also in the on-ball moments, you can see from him not cheap things.
"He is very clear; he’s so young, but super clear. He’s so focused, his decision-making is, I would say, 99 per cent always in the right way and in on-ball moments as well. That is not a surprise for me, I watched so many games from him from the last season when he was in Austria, and I also had a good discussion with his coach in Austria before we realised the deal with him.
"Also, Manchester United are super interested in how he plays every week. I’m always in exchange with them, so I would say he has a bright future for his chest.
"He is not a one-time goalkeeper, we can see it in every game that he’s reliable and he’s ready, so he’s a very talented goalkeeper with a high potential profile, I would say."
Vitek was the Reds’ fourth signing of the summer transfer window and arrived to add increased competition between the posts after it was confirmed Max O’Leary would miss the start of the Championship season with an ankle injury.
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City had already bolstered their goalkeeping ranks over the off-season with the addition of Joe Lumley, but the former Southampton stopper has seemingly fallen behind the United loanee in Struber's pecking order, with his only competitive football so far coming in the Carabao Cup.
Prior to his temporary move to BS3, Vitek put pen to paper on a new contract at Old Trafford until the summer of 2028 and the 21-year-old has made no secret of his desire to one day be the Red Devils' number one.
Given Ruben Amorim's side's goalkeeper struggles early this season, some City supporters have been worried about the possibility of his season-long loan being cut short in January. Though a recall option included in the deal means such a return to Old Trafford could be possible, it isn't something Struber is focused on at this stage.
When asked if he was concerned about the prospect of Vitek being recalled, the Reds boss said, “I could be worried every day about something. I am super happy that we have a goalkeeper on this level with us, and I know also that they have some goalkeepers at Manchester United at the moment that are also not so bad.
"In the end, a goalkeeper on this level needs gametime, every week, 90 minutes, and we can give him that right now. He’s not only a good goalkeeper, but he’s also a smart boy, and he knows this helps him to grow and develop.
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"I think we are a top partner for him in this direction, and Manchester United, Radek Vitek, and we are in a good exchange with everyone. I think the Championship, right now, Bristol City, right now, is for him a really good anchor.
“I think we can help him to make the next big step in his career," Struber continued. "He’s come from a very small league in Austria, so right now, he plays in a big league: the Championship. Now he can show it in England, and we will see.
"My trust, my belief in him, is at a very high level. I’ve worked also with very many good goalkeepers in the last few years, also in the Champions League, but Radek Vitek, his profile has a big future.
"He’s a Premier League goalkeeper in the future," the head coach insisted. "For me, it’s not a second opinion. Of course, he has to grow and also he has to develop, but the profile shows me clearly that he can be a goalkeeper in the highest league in England.
"I think it’s a win-win at the moment that we are here, so there’s this togetherness with him, and the platform Bristol City is for him is super, but this is also something that Manchester United know and appreciate about that.
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"We are happy, we are super happy with him, and he helps us in more directions."
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