Manchester United v Atletico de Madrid - Pre-Season Friendly
Manchester United v Atletico de Madrid - Pre-Season Friendly
Bristol City v Norwich City - Sky Bet Championship
Bristol City v Norwich City - Sky Bet Championship
Vitek is set to leave Manchester United after a six-year spell, with Middlesbrough in advanced talks to secure the young shot-stopper. According to the Daily Mirror, Manchester United are in advanced talks to send Vitek to the Riverside Stadium.
The club will reportedly insert both a sell-on clause and a buy-back option into the agreement, though no specific transfer fee has been disclosed yet. The move comes after Carrick left Vitek on the bench during Manchester United's 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid on Saturday, dropping a massive hint regarding his future. Vitek had previously started the first two pre-season friendlies before this glaring omission.
Vitek is eager to secure a starting spot after impressing during a productive loan spell with Bristol City last season, where he kept 12 clean sheets. Following the arrival of Karl Darlow to serve as backup to Senne Lammens, Vitek fell further down the pecking order.
Speaking during pre-season, Vitek made his intentions perfectly clear: "I feel great and ready to go again somewhere to be, hopefully, number one, so we will see. We will see what is going to happen. At the moment, I am still here, but we will see. I hope so. I hope there will be some interest. I think you will know when things are more concrete."
Middlesbrough have presented an ideal opportunity for Vitek to challenge Sol Brynn for the primary goalkeeping position. When asked previously if he preferred another loan or a permanent exit, Vitek elaborated on his mindset: "I'm ready for both to be fair. It depends on what the club wants and also depends on the options and, yeah, we'll see. There's been a few interests on the table, but we're hoping to get the best one and hopefully it will happen soon. I want to play every week and that's the goal for next season. Hopefully I find out soon where that's going to be." Manchester United have actively reshaped their squad, making his departure mutually beneficial.
Middlesbrough v Bristol City - Sky Bet Championship
Middlesbrough v Bristol City - Sky Bet Championship
Vitek will now undergo a medical examination and finalise personal terms with Middlesbrough ahead of his permanent switch. Once the transfer is officially announced, the goalkeeper will quickly integrate into his new squad to prepare for the upcoming Championship fixtures.
Meanwhile, Manchester United are expected to continue streamlining their squad before the transfer window closes, focusing on final departures and potential midfield additions.