Manchester United have been in much of a goalkeeping dilemma for some time now. The Premier League heavyweights have had their #1 role under the spotlight for a while now, and it is all down to those errors that Onana made when he was in charge between the sticks.
And going into the recently concluded summer transfer window, it was one of the priorities for the decision-makers to resolve this concern by bringing in a commendable player between the sticks.
While United had been linked with multiple high-profile players along the window, none of those moves materialised all summer, with the chiefs at M16 making a deadline day move for Senne Lammens.
Should Manchester United make a move for rising Bundesliga star?- Opinion.
Manchester United signed Senne Lammens last summer.
The Belgian is a promising prospect and could end up being an integral part of the roster in the long term. Ruben Amorim gave Lammens his Premier League debut in Man Utd’s 2–0 win over Sunderland before the international hiatus. And he enjoyed a composed outing. Earning himself a clean sheet and a team-high 7.8 SofaScore rating. The performance at Anfield further cemented his reputation as a player whose stock is on the rise.
But despite promising signs from Lammens, it looks like the chiefs at M16 are still unconvinced about Lammens and his long-term presence at Old Trafford, as reports now suggest that the Premier League heavyweights have been looking at SC Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu as a potential upgrade.
This news raises an important question around the reinforcements. Should United be looking to bring in another young goalkeeper just as Lammens starts to find his feet?
Numbers favour the Freiburg man
Should Manchester United make a move for rising Bundesliga star?- Opinion.
United have expressed interest in signing Atubolu.
Atubolu is quietly building a reputation to be one of the most consistent goalkeepers in the German top tier. The 23-year-old has a clean sheet percentage in league of 40% in the 2024–25 season, which is nearly double Lammens’ 20.7% at Royal Antwerp before his eventual move to Old Trafford.
But there is more. Atubolu set a new Freiburg club record when he went 576 minutes without conceding a goal. And then he has a perfect record from the penalty spot this season. He has saved five out of five (compared to Lammens’ 75% success rate in pens).
It does look like the German international has proven himself to be a stronger opposition week in, week out.
Why Atubolu fits the system that Amorim has deployed at M16
If we are talking about goalkeepers in Amorim’s system, the Portuguese head coach demands comfort when in possession. And that is where Atubolu thrives. He is ranked in the top 1% of Bundesliga keepers for touches per game (47.99), which is quite ahead of Lammens (42.58).
And when Freiburg manager Julian Schuster was recently speaking about Atubolu, he did highlight his abilities with the ball at his feet. He said, “He has good reflexes. He makes good saves and is also good with his feet.”
This ability to play more of a sweeper-keeper role makes him more of a natural fit in Amorim’s system. And that could be something that United could use to turn the heads of the decision-makers at M16 to Atubolu.
So, should United be looking to sign Atubolu?
With Lammens only just breaking into the first team, you’d expect both of Onana and Bayindir to be shown the doors at Carrington within the next year. So bringing in someone like Atubolu can end up sorting the goalkeeping department at M16 for years to come.
But then having two young ones, where both are hungry for game time, makes it more tricky. United will need to make one of them a clear first choice, and that means the other would want to look for opportunities for more game time. So one of them will have to accept being second choice.
Still, if Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to have a proper two-player competition across the pitch, then Atubolu ticks a lot of boxes. On paper, he has better stats than Lammens and does suit Amorim’s system a bit better.
WAFU Opinion
Atubolu is worth the risk. But then Man United will need to know how to handle it. We have already seen a big keeping saga at Arsenal a few years back, which was something similar.
Let’s be honest, Lammens has made a good first impression. But if United want a keeper who has already played in a big five league in Europe and is more of a marginal fit to the system that Amorim has deployed at M16, then Atubolu makes a lot of sense. The key will be to manage both of them well, without damaging either of their development (and market value).
Do you think Man United should sign Atubolu? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.