Manchester United’s transfer dealings have taken center stage yet again this September, with the club’s goalkeeping shake-up and a high-profile loan exit dominating headlines. The summer window may have slammed shut across England, but the Red Devils are still making moves, thanks to the extended transfer deadlines in Turkey and Saudi Arabia. With key decisions looming and new faces arriving, the club’s evolving roster is generating plenty of buzz among supporters and pundits alike.
The most eye-catching development is the future of Andre Onana. After a rollercoaster spell at Old Trafford, the Cameroon international finds himself on the verge of a loan move to Trabzonspor. Manchester United and the Turkish side have agreed on a deal that would send Onana to Turkey for the rest of the 2025-2026 season. The agreement comes in the wake of Senne Lammens’ arrival on deadline day, a transfer worth upwards of £18 million that has added further competition between the posts.
Onana’s recent form has been a sore spot for United fans and management alike. He has made just one appearance this season—a Carabao Cup tie against fourth-tier Grimsby Town that ended in disaster for the Red Devils. Not only did United crash out of the competition, but Onana was at fault for both of Grimsby’s goals and failed to redeem himself in the penalty shootout. It’s a far cry from the promise he showed at Ajax and Inter Milan, and the pressure has only intensified with the arrival of Lammens.
With Onana sidelined by injury at the start of the campaign, Altay Bayindir stepped in as United’s starting goalkeeper for the opening Premier League fixtures, including a crucial win over Burnley. Bayindir, who joined United last season, has had his share of ups and downs, but his steady presence has been a relief for manager Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese boss, appointed earlier this year, has spoken publicly about his faith in United’s stable of goalkeepers, including veteran Tom Heaton.
“I’m happy with the three goalkeepers,” Amorim told reporters in August, brushing aside criticism from former United captain Gary Neville. The Sky Sports pundit, never one to mince words, was blunt in his assessment: “There’s a glaring issue that Man Utd cannot ignore and it is the fact they need to find a goalkeeper. They have to ... it is really unsettling when you haven’t got a dominant No 1, who is dominant in the air, who owns his six-yard box, comes and punches everything and makes a lot of saves to win you points when your defenders make mistakes.” Neville’s words have only fueled the debate among fans and analysts, many of whom see the current situation as unsustainable for a club with United’s ambitions.
As the Turkish transfer window remains open until September 12, there’s still time for Onana to approve the move and start a new chapter in his career. The deal would provide him with a much-needed fresh start after a tough two years at Old Trafford, marked by high-profile errors and dwindling confidence. For United, it’s a chance to reset between the sticks and perhaps finally establish a clear-cut No. 1, something that has eluded them since the departure of David de Gea.
But the goalkeeper carousel doesn’t end there. Reports have surfaced that United are already eyeing their next long-term solution. According to sources close to the club, AC Milan’s Mike Maignan has been identified as a top target. The French international, out of contract next year, has impressed in Serie A and is seen as the kind of commanding presence that United have lacked. As one report put it, “Manchester United has set its sights on Mike Maignan as a possible reinforcement for its goal. The English club believes it needs a change between the sticks following André Onana’s inconsistent performances. The search for a new star has led directly to the Frenchman.” While any move for Maignan would have to wait until the next transfer window, the groundwork appears to be in motion.
The shake-up isn’t limited to the goalkeeping department. The club’s forward line has also seen significant turnover, with Jadon Sancho the latest high-profile exit. The England winger joined Aston Villa on loan on September 1, 2025, with his United contract set to expire next summer. However, the Red Devils are keen to protect their asset. According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, United are poised to trigger a contract extension for Sancho, keeping him tied to the club until 2027. “United, just to protect themselves and their asset, will probably take up that option to extend Jadon Sancho’s contract,” O’Rourke explained. “They want to ensure he doesn’t walk out on a free transfer next summer. The main thing for Sancho at the moment is to be playing football and playing regularly. The talent is there, there’s no doubt about that, so he’ll be looking to get back to his best. That situation would be good for everybody involved. It would be good for United because it would put him in the shop window and potentially increase his price tag ahead of next summer. And it would be good for Sancho to be back playing at a high level.”
Sancho’s departure is just one of several high-profile exits this summer. Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, and Antony have also left the club, signaling a broader overhaul under Amorim’s leadership. For United fans, the flurry of activity is both exciting and nerve-wracking. The hope is that these moves—outgoings and incomings alike—will finally restore some much-needed stability and spark a return to the top of English football.
Meanwhile, the club’s transfer business is far from over. With the Turkish and Saudi Pro League windows still open, United could yet see more departures before the month is out. The focus, however, remains firmly on the goalkeeping situation. Will Lammens seize the No. 1 shirt and make it his own? Can Bayindir rise to the challenge, or will the club’s pursuit of Maignan intensify in the coming months? And what of Onana—will he rediscover his form in Turkey, or is his time at the top level running out?
As the dust settles on a dramatic summer, one thing is clear: Manchester United are not standing still. The club’s willingness to make bold decisions, both in terms of personnel and strategy, suggests a new era may be dawning at Old Trafford. With Amorim at the helm and a revamped squad taking shape, the next few weeks—and indeed the rest of the season—promise to be anything but dull for the Red Devils and their devoted supporters.
For now, all eyes are on the ongoing transfer developments and the looming question of who will emerge as Manchester United’s next great goalkeeper. The answers, as ever, will unfold on and off the pitch in the weeks ahead.
