Manchester United found themselves in a difficult situation in the goalkeeping department in the summer, but the Red Devils appear to have an immediate number one on their hands.
Manchester United star Radek Vitek has revealed his desire to become the club’s number one goalkeeper, but he is not ready to return to Old Trafford just yet. The Czech stopper joined the Red Devils from Sigma Olomouc in 2020 and has since gained experience on loan with Accrington Stanley and Blauweis Linz.
Vitek, 22, was then given the chance to join Championship side Bristol City on loan this summer. The young goalkeeper has been in good form since joining the Robins, making 15 appearances and keeping five clean sheets.
United have included a recall clause in his contract, but Vitek has already stressed he does not want it to be triggered in the new year.
“The main goal at the moment is probably to stay here throughout the season and play as many games as possible,” he said in an interview with BBC Radio Bristol.
read more: He has decided to leave his current club with the backing of his Manchester United transfer target, Ruben Amorim.read more: What Danny Welbeck needs to consider before moving to Manchester United in January while Benjamin Sesco is injured
“Every game brings a different challenge. That’s how you get the most experience as a young keeper, because when you’re at Manchester United or a big club like that, you can be a third-choice goalkeeper on the training pitch, but you never get experience on the field.
“The last three months have been another step forward for me from last year. We have more quality in front of goal and players with different solutions, so we need to make faster decisions and be more prepared.”
Who is Manchester United’s most promising young player? Share your opinion in the comments section below
Vitek does not want to return to Old Trafford immediately, but has indicated a desire to become the Red Devils’ starting goalkeeper in the long term. He added: “That’s my plan, but I’m going to give it my best effort and we’ll see how it goes game by game. Right now I’m focused on playing for Bristol City and doing my best.”
“My dream is to play for Manchester United one day, but I’m taking each game at a time and I know there’s a big task ahead of me, but I want to improve every week.”
Vitek’s arrival comes after a major overhaul of United’s goalkeeping department this summer. Regular number one Andre Onana has been loaned to Turkish club Trabzonspor after a difficult few seasons at United.
He was replaced by substitute goalkeeper Atlee Bayndir in the number one spot, but the Turkish stopper had many missed appearances. He too was subsequently replaced in the pecking order by Sene Lamence, who was signed for £18 million in the summer. The Belgian has impressed since arriving from Royal Antwerp. He has made five appearances for United, keeping one clean sheet, and is likely to start again this weekend against Everton.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£43
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
