- Manchester United look to sign a back-up for Sven Lammens
- Carl Rushworth has impressed at Coventry
- Brighton loanee may want first-team football
Manchester United are reportedly eyeing up Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Carl Rushworth as a potential number two for the club.
The English shot-stopper has had a stellar season on loan at Coventry City, where he has helped Frank Lampard’s men become a domineering force in the Championship.
The Sky Blues currently sit top of the table, and just a point against a struggling Blackburn Rovers tomorrow on 17 April will ensure that they not only win the title, but are back in the Premier League for the first time since the 2000/01 season.
Rushworth has been at the heart of this title run, with the keeper making an impressive 16 clean sheets in the league this season. And now United are looking to make him the deputy of Belgian keeper Senne Lammens.
Manchester United Eyeing Carl Rushworth
According to Ben Jacobs Rushworth’s future could lie away from the Amex Stadium. That’s because “Coventry would like to keep him, and Newcastle United would really like the player, and even Tottenham Hotspur have looked. Manchester United really like Carl Rushworth as well.”
Jacobs suggested Newcastle might have the best opportunity to sign him given Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale’s dissapointing season. But he touched on the Reds’ interest:
“The backhanded headache of Senne Lammens, even though it is a very welcome one, he has been so good, and so assured, he will hold down that number one spot for many years to come.”
If United were to swoop for Rushworth it would likely be as Lammens’ number two:
“So when you look to sign your number two, some clubs may have a 27 to 32-year-old goalkeeper, you bring in a number two, they are in their early or mid 20s, there is an age gap, and that younger goalkeeper thinks in two or three years, if they are patient, they will be playing as number one for a big football club.“
An Everchanging Goalkeeping Situation
For once, Manchester United are dealing with a good goalkeeper headache. Across the past few seasons, the club has had to grapple with major inconsistency in its nets.
Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir have proven simply too mistake-prone, whilst David de Gea’s form gradually tailed off. Now, they have an assured Lammens in net, with Radek Vitek also on the books, impressing in the Championship.
Manchester United Goalkeepers (League Only)
| Goalkeeper: | Games: | Clean sheets: | Goals conceded: | Goals prevented: |
| Senne Lammens | 26 | 5 | 34 | 2.6 |
| Radek Vitek | 37 | 11 | 46 | 4.8 |
| Carl Rushworth | 42 | 16 | 42 | 7.9 |
Whilst Rushworth has conceded more goals than Lammens, the Englishman has played 16 more games and holds a stronger goals-conceded-to-game ratio. What’s worth remembering is that Lammens is operating at a much higher level, where it is far harder to stand out consistently as a goalkeeper.
Vitek, on the other hand, is enjoying a superb first season in the Championship, but has made it clear he does not want to play understudy.
Whilst many United fans want Vitek as backup to Senne Lammens next season, he has already said that he does not want to play second fiddle.
“I came here to play a few games at the start because the number one [Max O’Leary] was injured.”
He added:
“He had been here a long time, so it was difficult to keep the shirt, but in the back of my mind I always wanted to stay here and play the whole season. That was my goal.“
Vitek’s loan runs until the end of the season, but he does not want a bit-part role
“At this stage in my career, I want to play as many games as possible. I wouldn’t benefit from sitting on the bench.”
United will now have to navigate this to ensure they have a competent second keeper. That could result in trying to sign Rushworth and holding fire on Vitek’s start with the first team.
