Manchester United are interested in signing Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, who has impressed for the Seagulls since joining the club from Anderlecht in 2023
Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen has emerged as a transfer target for Manchester United, with current No.1 Andre Onana under increasing pressure.
Onana joined United from Inter Milan in a £47million deal back in 2023, with the 28-year-old reuniting with his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag. However, Ten Hag has since been sacked and replaced by Ruben Amorim and Onana is said to be unhappy with life in Manchester.
According to the Daily Star, Onana was already unsettled before Ten Hag was axed, but things have got worse since Amorim took over. As a result, United are on the hunt for a replacement and Verbruggen is thought to be high on their list of options.
Verbruggen has cemented himself as the No.1 for both Brighton and the Netherlands in recent years, having made the move to the South Coast from Anderlecht the same summer United signed Onana.
The 22-year-old has three years left on his current contract and it is claimed United would have to fork out around £30m to get their man. However, it is unlikely a deal will be struck next month, with United more likely to wait until next summer.
Both Onana and backup goalkeeper Altay Bayindir have made high-profile mistakes in recent weeks and Verbruggen is not the only stopper United have been linked with. Reports have also claimed that Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens is on the club’s radar.
Lammens has impressed for Antwerp so far this season and is also attracting interest from Borussia Dortmund. United are said to have sent scouts to watch the Belgium Under-21 international in action.
Onana has previously admitted he questioned whether he had made the right call in joining United during his first season at the club. “It was really hard [to start off with] but it’s the first time I faced such a situation,” he said back in May.
“Now I know the league, I know the people, I know the country, I know Manchester. When I look back now, I’m just smiling because it was a big lesson for me. But in the beginning I was like, ‘Wow, did I make the right choice?’
“But I’m definitely 100 per cent sure I made the right choice because Manchester United is the bigger club in this country, it’s one of the biggest clubs in theworld. I don’t think my team-mates are happy with the situation we are facing because I know them, they are all winners, and everyone wants to win.”
Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.