- Manchester United might need a new goalkeeper
- Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana likely to leave
- Senne Lammens needs viable competition
It has been a tale of two halves for Manchester United in 2025/26. The first half of the season was defined by Ruben Amorim’s need to ‘suffer,’ before the Portuguese manager suffered a sacking himself.
Since then, it has been a prolonged managerial bounce under Michael Carrick. The club’s former midfielder has guided the team to third in the Premier League with seven games to go. United have the cushion of fifth position, being likely to land a spot in the Champions League too.
The good times in recent months have made it feel like a lifetime ago when the club were stuck with the mishaps of Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir.
Second and third choice up for grabs
Few expected Senne Lammens to become the number one in goal so rapidly. His form has left Altay Bayindir contemplating his future. It is widely expected that he will return to Besiktas this summer, leaving the second-choice goalkeeping role up for grabs.
As United wait on Tom Heaton‘s decision to stay, retire, or move elsewhere, there may also be a vacancy for a veteran third-choice keeper. United have used Heaton as their third-choice goalkeeper for several years, with the former Burnley man receiving immense praise for his leadership in the locker room.
Could Sam Johnstone be the value for option replacement? After moving to Wolves from Crystal Palace for £10m in 2024, Johnstone has found himself in a limbo as he creeps into his mid-30’s in the next few years.
The English goalkeeper has been around the block in his career, gaining experience playing for clubs like Aston Villa and West Brom in the Premier League. Despite starting 12 games this season for a relegation-bound Wolves side, he remains primarily second choice behind José Sá.
Onana is not expected to be the backup goalkeeper, which brings Radek Vitek into the conversation. The young goalkeeper has impressed on loan at Bristol City and is in contention for a promotion to the senior United side next season.
A score to settle at Old Trafford
For Johnstone, the story is one of unfinished business. He came through the youth ranks at Carrington in the U18 and U21 setups, yet he never made a senior appearance for the club. Unfortunately for him, United settled with David De Gea as Edwin Van der Sar’s replacement in 2011.
Yet, the club went through a roulette of backup goalkeepers in the preceding years. Some of those names included the likes of Sergio Romero, Victor Valdes, Anders Lindegaard and Joel Pereira.
Now 32, the opportunity to return to United represents a homecoming for a player who has spent a decade proving his worth elsewhere and would boost the club’s homegrown and club-grown quota.
With a current wage of £50,000 a week, Sam Johnstone fits the bill perfectly as a high-floor, low-expectation goalkeeper. He is a competent shot-stopper who provides the safe hands, Premier League experience and low budget that INEOS have tried to model their signings around as of late.
At this stage of his career, he may even be content to be put in a mentor position akin to Heaton, seeing out his twilight years with the club he grew up at.
