Manchester United have been left frustrated by Andre Onana’s poor form in between the sticks for much of the season with his most recent display against Olympique Lyon in the quarter-final of the UEFA Europa League costing the team a vital away win. Ruben Amorim played it safe with his words on the goalkeeper after the match but was visibly disappointed as well.
Off the back of Onana’s unsatisfactory performances, it is expected that the club will dip into the transfer market for a new shot-stopper this summer. Italian source La Gazzetta dello Sport has reported that Manchester United are keen on signing Brighton & Hove Albion star Bart Verbruggen, a player who has also been linked with Chelsea in the recent past.
The two Premier League sides seem to have made it a priority to acquire a good first-choice goalkeeper and join the likes of AC Milan and Bayern Munich in pursuit of the 22-year-old, who could be signed for £60 million. Verbruggen is having a terrific campaign at the Amex Stadium and it will be interesting to see which of his suitors ends up winning the race for his transfer.
Chelsea set to have an advantage over Man United
If Chelsea and Manchester United are to battle it out for Bart Verbruggen, the balance could swing in favour of the Blues given that they have done a lot of business with Brighton in the recent past and have already developed a relationship with them. Their stronger title credentials and imminent participation in the Champions League next season will also give them a significant edge.
Before they are able to rival some of Europe’s biggest clubs for quality players, Man United’s focus must be towards clinching this season’s Europa League and securing a berth in the top continental competition as it would not only be a financial boost for them but also place them in a better position to secure moves for their key targets.
With that said, if competition for Verbruggen’s acquisition seems to stiff, they could look into signing somebody like AC Milan’s Mike Maignan, who is expected to depart the San Siro in the summer, will be available for a relatively lower price and has the experience of performing at the biggest stage as opposed to the young Dutchman the Red Devils are looking at.
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