We are entering the final week of the summer transfer window, where clubs will be eager to put the finishing touches on their squads for the 2025/26 season. This week, we look at two clubs that are in desperate need of a keeper in front of the goal.
Manchester United
Since the departure of David De Gea in July 2023, United have really struggled to find his successor in goal.
Signing Andre Onana from Inter Milan turned out to be one of the biggest mistakes for United in the Erik ten Hag era.
He made a handful of errors during the group stages of the 2023-24 Champions League, which ultimately cost his team a place in the Last 16.
The 29-year-old has only 24 clean sheets in 101 appearances for the club. This is nowhere near the standards for a Manchester United goalkeeper.
What’s even more concerning is that Altay Bayinder does not appear at all comfortable with the physical nature of the Premier League.
This was evident when he failed to deal with a corner in United’s opening fixture defeat to Arsenal.
Thus, it is no surprise that the club is looking for a new man between the posts. According to the Manchester Evening News, Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens could well be that guy.
The Belgian has made 64 appearances for the Belgian side and kept 10 clean sheets. United are considering him as a backup option to Onana and as a potential replacement for him as their first-choice goalkeeper.
United have set a deadline for the end of this week to find a new goalkeeper.
Will Lammens be that man?
Chelsea
Despite showing an early interest in AC Milan’s Mike Maignan, it looks as if Robert Sanchez will remain the Blues’ number one this season.
Millan set an asking price of €25million for the French Keeper, however Chelsea’s valuation of the player was much lower, which ultimately caused the deal to collapse.
Maignan has one year left on his contract at Milan, so it shouldn’t be that difficult to get a deal done.
The only issue is the valuation of the player, which is clearly beyond the club’s wage structure.
According to Fabrizio Romano, AC Milan’s valuation of the goalkeeper was too high for Chelsea. With the deal collapsed and AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri confirming Maignan will stay, the “Maignan chapter closed” for Chelsea.
However, even though Sanchez is somewhat improving, he is still prone to the odd error in goal.
Therefore, if Chelsea is serious about competing for the Premier League Title this season, they must get in a top-class keeper in goal.
The clock is ticking, and there are only five days remaining in the summer transfer window.
Can Chelsea and Manchester United resolve their goalkeeper issues by then?
Find out on World In Sport.
