Onana move completed but Man Utd still face major keeper concerns

Manchester United head into a crucial stage of the season with lots of goalkeeping concerns that has left manager Rúben Amorim facing uncomfortable questions about depth, quality, and experience.

The situation has seen André Onana complete a season-long loan to Trabzonspor. Once signed as David de Gea’s long-term successor, Onana’s spell at Old Trafford has been marred by high-profile mistakes, inconsistency, and a collapse in confidence.

His exit might ease tensions around the first team, but it exposes a glaring weakness in one of the most vital positions on the pitch.

That leaves United with three senior options: Altay Bayındır, Senne Lammens, and veteran Tom Heaton. Each comes with a major caveat.

Bayındır, 26, has shown flashes of ability but has struggled for consistency and composure in the Premier League. New arrival Lammens, just 23, is highly rated but untested at the top level, having never played in the English top flight.

Then there’s Heaton, a respected professional and former England international, but at 39 he hasn’t started a league game since 2020.

It’s a stark contrast to the club’s history of stability in goal, with legends like Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar, and David de Gea providing world-class presence for more than three decades.

Now, instead of a commanding figure, United’s goalkeeping department looks fragile and uncertain.

Amorim has built his reputation on trusting youth, but the stakes at Old Trafford are unforgiving.

A misjudgment in such a critical role could derail United’s hopes of climbing back up the table. With a Manchester derby looming, the pressure to make the right choice between the sticks has never been greater.

For a club still trying to rebuild its identity, the lack of an established first-choice goalkeeper feels symbolic of deeper recruitment and planning issues.

Unless one of Bayındır or Lammens can step up rapidly, United’s defensive frailties could remain exposed throughout the campaign.

What once was a position of certainty has become United’s most glaring weakness—and Amorim’s biggest gamble.