Gary Neville urges Manchester United to address ‘glaring issue’ before transfer window closes | OneFootball

Gary Neville has urged Manchester United to invest in a new goalkeeper to address a “glaring issue” with their squad after Altay Bayindir’s error in the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal.

Bayindir could only palm Declan Rice’s inswinging corner into the path of Riccardo Calafiori, who headed home what proved the only goal of the game at Old Trafford with the hosts otherwise relatively secure defensively.

The Turkish goalkeeper had been chosen ahead of Andre Onana, not even in the squad having missed much of preseason due to a hamstring injury, by Ruben Amorim for the first game of the new season in just his fifth Premier League appearance for the club.

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Altay Bayindir was deemed culpable by many for Arsenal’s winner (AP)

Speculation has connected Manchester United with a move for either Gianluigi Donnarumma, who looks certain to leave Paris Saint-Germain after a falling out with the club, or Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez if they opt to sign a new shot-stopper.

And though Amorim insisted he was “happy” with his existing options after the Arsenal defeat, former full-back Neville insists that the club need to sign a goalkeeper before the transfer window closes in a fortnight.

“There's a glaring issue that Man United cannot ignore and it is the fact they need to find a goalkeeper,” Neville said on Sky Sports. “They have to.

“I'm unequivocal on that because I had an experience with Man Utd for 20 years where there were two big periods of seven or eight years with Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar. In between, we had seven or eight goalkeepers in a six, seven, eight-year period and 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.

"I don't know where they are on PSR [the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules], but they might have to magic up a bit more money in the next week or two, or do something on loan.”

Manchester United have invested significantly at the top-end of the pitch this summer, with a new frontline of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko brought in. They are yet, though, to make any signings elsewhere beyond teenage left-back Diego Leon.

The possible availability of Donnarumma could spark a competitive chase for the Italian’s signature in the final days of the transfer window, with Manchester City also mentioned as a possible destination amid uncertainty over the future of Ederson.

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Gianluigi Donnarumma looks set to leave Paris Saint-Germain (PA)

Having played a vital role in PSG’s Champions League success last season, Neville believes that Donnarumma, and indeed World Cup winner Martinez, would have the right personality for Manchester United.

"The two that have been mentioned in the last two weeks have been Emi Martinez and [Gianluigi] Donnarumma,” he explained. “The reason I think they would be good goalkeepers for Man Utd is not necessarily because they are the best goalkeepers in Europe, but they are big personalities and characters.

“You've seen Donnarumma in a European final save those penalties for Italy. He looked like a giant. He's played for PSG in huge games under pressure. Martinez has played in the World Cup final and won it for Argentina.

"They have played under extreme pressure and they almost walk out with that arrogance and dominance of a goalkeeper - Man United need that.”