Ben Foster believes that Manchester United missed a trick by overlooking a goalkeeper with experience in the summer transfer window.
Manchester United signed five new players in the summer after finishing 15th in the Premier League.
Ruben Amorim needed quality additions, especially in attack, as his team struggled every week in front of goal. That led to the additions of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko.
United also welcomed Diego Leon and Senne Lammens to the squad, but both players have yet to make their competitive debut for the Red Devils.
United signed Lammens from Royal Antwerp before sending Andre Onana on loan to Trabzonspor, yet the young Belgian goalkeeper has been benched for the games against Man City and Chelsea.
It remains to be seen if Lammens will make his debut ahead of Altay Bayindir when United travel to Brentford on Saturday.
Photo by Oisin Keniry/Getty ImagesBen Foster finds fault with Man Utd goalkeeper hunt
United considered their options when it came to signing a new goalkeeper.
Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez had been linked with a move to United for months, but it never materialised as Ineos opted for a younger alternative.
Lammens, 23, has yet to make an appearance for the Belgium national team but is expected to compete for the first-choice role with Bayindir and Tom Heaton at United.
Former United goalkeeper Ben Foster believes United needed a goalkeeper with an aura, like Gianluigi Donnarumma or Martinez.
Although Donnarumma was linked with a move to United, the Italian stopper signed for Man City before making his debut in the Manchester derby.
Foster went on to claim that United would finish in the top six had they signed Martinez instead of Lammens.
“I think you need somebody with aura, massive aura,” Foster told Sam Allardyce on the Tippy Tappy Football podcast.
“And Gigi’s got it, Donnarumma’s got it, character. And Emi Martinez has got it in absolute bundles, he has. Genuine bundles.
“And if they had signed him, I would put Man United in the top six this season if they had signed Emi, I really would have.”
Aston Villa wanted £40 million for Martinez in the summer, and the Argentine would have demanded a hefty salary on top of that.
We will soon find out if it was a wise decision or a prime example of penny pinching.
Foster stats for Man Utd
Foster spent time at United under Sir Alex Ferguson from 2005 to 2010, but failed to secure a place in the first team.
Edwin van der Sar was the first-choice goalkeeper at the time, which led to Foster being sent on loan to Watford on two occasions.
After making 23 appearances for the Reds, Foster left Old Trafford in 2010 when he signed a permanent deal with Birmingham City. He then went on to play for West Brom, Watford and Wexford.
Foster kept 10 clean sheets during his time at United.
Nowadays, Foster presents his own podcast.