Man Utd need a new No.1! Jan Oblak, Gregor Kobel & eight goalkeepers who could replace error-strewn Andre Onana in summer transfer window

According to The Independent, United are prepared to battle Chelsea for the signing of Borussia Dortmund No.1 Gregor Kobel when the transfer market re-opens. The Blues are eager for Kobel to replace the unreliable Robert Sanchez between the sticks, but United's need is far greater, and club scouts have been monitoring the Switzerland international for some time.

Kobel is known for his sharp reflexes, strength in the air and long-ball accuracy, all of which have seen him emerge as one of the Bundesliga's finest all-round goalkeepers. The 27-year-old played a key role in Dortmund's run to the Champions League final last season, and has impressed again in 2024-25 despite BVB's worrying slide as a collective force.

United will have to move quickly to beat Chelsea to Kobel's signature, but he could be well worth the time and effort.

In December, The Telegraph reported that United had added Royal Antwerp's Senne Lammens to their list of goalkeeping targets, having regularly sent scouts over the Belgium to watch the 22-year-old in action. Lammens only broke into the Antwerp first-team squad at the back end of last season, but has quickly made the No.1 shirt his own and is viewed as a player with 'huge potential'.

Lammens has even been touted as the long-term successor for Thibaut Courtois in the Belgian national team, and though a number of Bundesliga clubs are also said to be on his tail, including Dortmund, the youngster seems to have a soft spot for United. He told Gazet Van Antwerpen when quizzed on United's interest earlier this month: "The first time I heard it, I thought. 'Wow, a world team that follows you. That is special'. It's only positive. Especially because it's the best competition in the world and my profile – my stature and way of playing – is similar to English football. You have to physically hold your own there and that suits me."

It would be a gamble for United to put Lammens straight in for Onana given his age and lack of experience, but he already seems to have a mature head on his shoulders and it's encouraging that he has so much confidence in his abilities. It has also been reported that Antwerp will only demand around €10 million for Lammens, which could be a shrewd investment.

If United want to sign a young, Premier League-proven goalkeeper, they probably won't do any better than Bart Verbruggen. The Daily Star has claimed that the 22-year-old is firmly on the Red Devils' radar after establishing himself as first choice net-minder for both Brighton and the Netherlands national team.

On the back of his hugely impressive Euro 2024 campaign, Verbruggen has provided the base for Brighton's latest push for a top-seven Premier League finish. The Dutch ace is already an accomplished ball-playing 'keeper who always stays calm under pressure, and he boasts lightning-fast reactions that allow him to keep out shots from all angles.

Verbruggen would cost United at least £30m ($38m) given the fact he is still under contract with Brighton until 2028, but that's really a small price to pay for a player with such a high ceiling. It helps that he's already been compared to a United legend, too, with former Dutch goalkeeping coach Frans Hoek saying last summer: "He’s a natural talent. It may well be that he will be the next one on whom the Dutch team can build for a long time, à la Edwin van der Sar."

Jan Oblak has long been linked with a switch to Old Trafford because of his outstanding performances for Atletico Madrid over the past decade. The €103m (£86m/ $107m) release clause in the Slovenian's contract has helped Atletico stave off other elite clubs up to this point, but recent reports in Spain have suggested that he is looking for 'one last challenge' in his career.

It has been said that Atletico could let Oblak go for as little as €30m (£25m/$31m) this summer, which would be a massive bargain for United, and there have been claims that the Red Devils made initial contact with Oblak in January, though the 32-year-old wanted to stay put until the end of the season with Atletico still in contention to win La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.

Clubs in Saudi Arabia have also been linked with Oblak, but it would be a waste of his talent to leave Europe so young, and he could hardly ask for a bigger challenge than joining Amorim's rebuild project at United. Oblak is the dream replacement for Onana; a truly world-class goalkeeper with all the attributes needed to thrive in the Premier League.

James Trafford might just be the most improved player in the English Football League this season. After a miserable debut Premier League campaign that saw Trafford concede 61 goals in 28 games as Burnley suffered relegation under Vincent Kompany, the England Under-21 international has got his career back on track in the Championship, with Scott Parker proving to be the ideal mentor.

Burnley are right in the mix for automatic promotion after 34 games, and Trafford has been the model of consistency in the net, conceding just nine goals. He has been a big reason for Parker's team posting the best defensive record in the Championship, impressing just as much with his feet as his hands, and inevitably, the Manchester City academy graduate is now being linked with a host of top clubs.

Newcastle has been touted as the most likely destination for Trafford, but United should at least consider hijacking the Magpies' reported £20m ($25m) move for the 22-year-old. Trafford is starting to look like a future England No.1, and it would be a huge coup for the Red Devils if they were to edge out Newcastle and seal a cut-price deal this summer.

Many United fans now feel that David de Gea was hard done by. The Spaniard left Old Trafford as a free agent in 2023 after the club decided against extending his contract, and he spent the next year in unemployed purgatory as he even considered retirement at one stage.

It's a testament to De Gea's character that he never gave up, despite so many people writing him off. Fiorentina eventually took a chance on the Premier League winner, and he's quickly re-established himself among Europe's finest 'keepers while helping La Viola challenge for a top-four finish in Serie A this season.

De Gea's last few years at Old Trafford were largely miserable as basic errors crept into his game, but Onana has actually proven to be a downgrade on the 34-year-old. A United homecoming might seem unlikely, but according to The Athletic, De Gea told close friends he would be open to returning if Erik ten Hag and John Murtough ever left the club, meaning the path is now clear.

It remains to be seen if Amorim would be open to signing De Gea, or indeed if he would turn his back on Fiorentina after just one season, but he might end up being the most affordable, low-risk option for United this summer.

Matej Kovar never got a fair chance at Old Trafford. The Czech Republic international graduated from United's academy in 2020, but left just three years later without a single senior appearance to his name, after a superb final loan spell at Sparta Prague that saw him become a league title winner.

Bayer Leverkusen snapped Kovar up for just £8m in August 2023, and he added a Bundesliga winner's medal to his collection in his first season with the German club. Kovar played second fiddle to Lukas Hradecky, but still made 17 appearances across all competitions, and was singled out for special praise by Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, who described him as a "complete goalkeeper" in an interview with Kicker magazine.

Kovar has continued to earn admirers this term, and according to the Manchester Evening News, United included a buy-back clause in his contract at Leverkusen, which they may be tempted to trigger in the summer window. This one could have real legs, because it seems that the 24-year-old feels he still has unfinished business at Old Trafford, as he told Czech outlet Sport last August: "We'll see what happens in the future. Of course, they're [United] still my heart. I spent many years at the club. It's a big and great club, I hope it gets back to the top."

In the winter transfer window, talkSPORT reported that United were eyeing a £40m ($57m) swoop for Zion Suzuki, who has been the standout performer for Parma throughout their difficult 2024-25 Serie A campaign. Suzuki's decision to snub a move to Old Trafford from Urawa Red Diamonds in 2023, because he didn't want to be in Onana's shadow, has paid off, with Parma able to snap him up for just £9m that summer.

The fact that United are now ready to risk humiliation and pay over quadruple that amount for Suzuki's services speaks volumes for the impact he's made at Parma. The Japan international's leadership skills and other-worldly athleticism have made him a popular figure at Stadio Ennio Tardini, and his presence gives Parma a vital advantage over their rivals in their ongoing relegation battle.

It could be argued that Suzuki has now surpassed Onana, who has so far paid back little of the £48m ($61m) fee United forked out to Inter for his services. Parma are reportedly eager to keep hold of Suzuki for at least one more season, but that's easier said than done in their current financial position, and any formal offer from the Red Devils in the summer may force their hand.