Manchester United confirm Radek Vitek exit as £14m deal completed
Manchester United have confirmed Radek Vitek’s permanent move to Middlesbrough, with the Red Devils potentially banking £14million from the goalkeeper’s departure.
The 22-year-old has completed his switch to the Championship after spending six years at United, although he leaves without making a competitive first-team appearance.
ReadManUtd reported on Thursday that United had agreed a deal worth up to £14m with Middlesbrough, including several clauses designed to protect the club if Vitek continues his development at the Riverside Stadium.
His departure has now been formally completed.
Vitek joined United from Sigma Olomouc in 2020 and was part of the academy side that lifted the FA Youth Cup two years later.
His development accelerated through loan spells with Accrington Stanley and Blau-Weiss Linz before an excellent 2025/26 campaign with Bristol City.
The Czech goalkeeper made 41 Championship appearances for the Robins and collected their Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards.
Regular senior football was therefore becoming increasingly important.
The Manchester Evening News reports that United can receive up to £14m from Vitek’s Middlesbrough move, with the agreement also containing significant future protections.
United reportedly retain a 35 per cent sell-on clause, alongside matching rights and a buy-back option.
Those terms could prove important if Vitek establishes himself as a Premier League-level goalkeeper.
Michael Carrick already has Senne Lammens established as his first-choice goalkeeper, while Karl Darlow arrived this summer to add experienced competition.
That made guaranteeing Vitek the regular football he wanted difficult.
United have instead secured a significant potential fee while retaining routes to benefit if his value rises considerably at Middlesbrough.
For Vitek, the move provides the opportunity to become a regular No.1 for a club targeting promotion.
For United, it represents another valuable academy sale without completely losing control of the goalkeeper’s long-term future.
James Chettle is a journalism graduate from the University of Liverpool with a strong passion for football and digital sports media. A lifelong Chelsea supporter, James manages dedicated social media pages for fellow Blues fans, giving him a close understanding of supporter culture and the conversations that matter most to audiences. Alongside his Chelsea-focused work, he writes across the Dave.Sport network, covering West Ham United, Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Manchester United. His journalism spans breaking news, transfers, match analysis and the wider stories shaping clubs across the Premier League.
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