Radek Vitek has shone on loan from Manchester United in the early weeks of the new seasonplaceholder image
Radek Vitek has shone on loan from Manchester United in the early weeks of the new season | Manchester United via Getty Images
Man Utd added a new goalkeeper to their first-team squad on deadline day of the summer window.
In an ideal world, Manchester United might not have signed a goalkeeper on deadline day of the summer transfer window. It is true, Ruben Amorim has wanted to refresh his options in goal ever since he joined the club, but this summer was all about overhauling their attack.
After Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir both struggled in the opening matches of the season, it was deemed a risk they could no longer afford to take. United sources said signing a goalkeeper was a 'secondary priority' but one they could not ignore when long-term target Senne Lammens became available for an affordable price.
There is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the 23-year-old but United are confident they have signed someone with huge potential. Not only did he boast one of the highest goal prevented metrics in Europe last season (+14.5), he also made more saves than any other goalkeeper in Europe's top 10 leagues and made the most progressive passes of any goalkeeper under the age of 23.
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It is hoped those statistics will help the Belgian adapt to the English game, though the fact he was not called up for the latest international squad, and has never represented his country at senior level, are both a reminder of just how raw a talent he is. Having spent an initial £18.2m to sign him, United will hope they didn't already have someone just as good already.
Of all the players who left United on loan during the summer, none have started life at their new clubs quite like young goalkeeper Radek Vitek. The 21-year-old impressed at Austrian side FC Blau-Weiss Linz last season before he returned to England with a loan switch to Bristol City.
Vitek made headlines when he saved a penalty on his debut in a friendly win over Rayo Vallecano and continued the fine form into the early stages of the season. He has played a crucial role in their unbeaten start to the Championship campaign, with two Player of the Match displays and a 'ridiculous' save in their latest victory over Hull.
It is still very early days in his career, but if Vitek manages to perform this well at Championship level for the rest of the campaign, he might follow in the path of Dean Henderson as someone who can challenge for a first-team role or be sold to a Premier League side for a big fee.
"He is very clear; he’s so young, but super clear, Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber said last weekend. "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. 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. 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."
The arrival of Lammens by no means spells the end for Vitek, though it does give him another hurdle to overcome in his journey to the top. While it is still uncertain just how big the gap between the Belgian Pro League and the Premier League might be, the pathway from the Championship to the top-flight has been covered many times before.
Vitek is on his way to being a Premier League goalkeeper. It is less certain whether that could be for Manchester United.
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