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Manchester United make first move for former player as Andre Onana replacement
Pinpointing exactly where Manchester United’s season has gone off the rails is no easy task.
At first, much of the blame fell at the feet of Erik ten Hag. After his dismissal, the expectation was that new manager Rúben Amorim—fresh off an exceptional run with Sporting Lisbon—would inspire an immediate turnaround when he took charge in November.
Instead, the situation has only worsened. United now sit an astonishing 15th in the Premier League table, and it’s become increasingly clear that the club’s struggles run deeper than just the manager. Perhaps neither Ten Hag nor Amorim is truly to blame for the Red Devils’ ongoing collapse.
It’s tempting to shift the blame to the players, but even that’s not so straightforward.
Marcus Rashford, once vilified by fans for his poor performances, has rediscovered his form since his loan move to Aston Villa. Harry Maguire, formerly a lightning rod for criticism, has emerged as one of United’s more reliable performers in recent months.
Then there’s Rasmus Højlund, who’s managed just four Premier League goals this season and struggled to assert himself as the team’s leading striker. But even his lack of output feels more like the result of circumstance: questionable management decisions (why rely on an unproven 22-year-old?) and a severe lack of quality service from the wings.
One area of the pitch that’s undeniably been a persistent problem, however, is between the posts. André Onana continues to make high-profile mistakes nearly every week, often undoing any progress the team manages with a single misstep.
Manchester United Make Contact Over Vanja Milinković-Savić
Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. (Marco Canoniero/LightRocket)
It comes as little surprise, then, that United are now actively seeking a replacement for Onana. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the club has already begun its search—and taken the first step toward a potential solution.
In an exclusive report published by GiveMeSport on Tuesday, Romano revealed that United have made initial contact with Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinković-Savić, who is expected to leave Serie A this summer after a stellar campaign.
Romano noted that the goalkeeper position is “one of many roles” United intend to address in the upcoming transfer window and that Milinković-Savić has “recently been added to the list” of targets, with “initial contacts made to explore a potential summer move.”
Interestingly, Milinković-Savić is not entirely unfamiliar with the club—he originally signed for United back in 2014, but was released without making an appearance due to work permit complications that prevented the then-teenager from playing in England.
Now 28, the 6’8” Serbian international has enjoyed an outstanding season with Torino, keeping 10 clean sheets in 34 Serie A appearances and leading the league in both goals prevented and saves per match. Crucially, he has made just one error leading to a goal this season—and only two such errors since the start of the 2021–22 campaign.
With Chelsea also reportedly circling as they seek a long-term solution in goal, United may need to act fast to secure a goalkeeper capable of finally bringing some much-needed stability to the back line.
