Ruben Amorim has openly spoken about Andre Onana’s departure from the club as he detailed the goalkeeping dilemma he is experiencing at the moment.

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has confirmed that Altay Bayındır will once again start in goal for Sunday’s Manchester derby against Manchester City, as he explained the goalkeeping situation hurting the Red Devils.

This decision has been a major talking point in recent days, especially after last season’s first-choice goalkeeper, Andre Onana, signed with Trabzonspor, and San Lamens was brought in from Royal Antwerp in the final hours of the transfer window.

Andre Onana has been a key figure for Manchester United since signing with the club in the summer of 2023. Erik ten Hag brought him to replace the long-serving David de Gea.

Expectations were high, given his impressive performance in the Champions League final for Inter Milan just weeks earlier. However, the early months of his tenure were defined by a series of high-profile errors that quickly eroded confidence.

Despite these significant setbacks, Andre Onana’s resilience was a notable feature of his first season. He began to find a more consistent rhythm in the Premier League, notably becoming the first goalkeeper to win three ‘Save of the Month’ awards.

His season culminated in an FA Cup winner’s medal, a rare highlight in an otherwise difficult campaign. Unfortunately, the momentum did not carry over into his second season.

A pre-season hamstring injury and a costly error in a Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby Town led to him losing his starting spot to Altay Bayindir.

With the subsequent signing of Senne Lammens on deadline day, Andre Onana’s place at the club looked increasingly tenuous.

He was not included in the first three Premier League squads, and his recent loan move to Turkish club Trabzonspor marks an uncertain pause in his Manchester United career, leaving him with three years remaining on his contract but an unclear future at Old Trafford.

“Altay will continue to be the starter. For San Lamens, this is a different league, a different country, different training, and even a different ball. He is a goalkeeper with great potential. I understand that a goalkeeper needs to be very physically robust right now. We are looking at the current situation, but also keeping an eye on the future. A bit of both,” Ruben Amorim said.

“We will try to create an opportunity for both of them to compete for this position, but it’s clear to me that Altay will start on Sunday. However, Lamens has immense potential and gives us an option, so he also needs to be ready to play at some point. He has the potential to be the team’s goalkeeper for many years to come.

“I think it became clear to everyone that we needed a change in that position, and sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why. Sometimes it’s the timing, bad luck. It was difficult for André Onana because he was good at his job and tried to help others, but sometimes you can have all the qualities in the world and still need such a change, so I wish him all the best.”

Amorim then addressed the absence of new signings Matheus Cunha, Diogo Dalot, and Mason Mount. All three are injured and will miss the clash against Manchester City, but the Portuguese coach noted their significant efforts to return to the pitch as quickly as possible.

Finally, the former Sporting Lisbon manager stated that the “Red Devils” are a better team now than they were last December, when they secured a surprising victory at the Etihad with a late goal from Amad Diallo.

“Matheus Cunha, Diogo Dalot, and Mason Mount are out for this match. I don’t know how long their recovery will take. They are putting in a lot of effort, which is very good. I don’t want to commit to specific timelines because if you ask Cunha, he’ll tell you he’s ready for Sunday,” he revealed.

“We will monitor the situation day by day. We have many excellent players who are eager to perform, so we will be competitive on Sunday. I believe we are a better team now than last year. If you look at any aspect of the statistics, we are a different team. We are ready to play this match and prove it on Sunday.”

Ruben Amorim declared that he believes in the team, noting that they are ready for a clash with Manchester City. He added that they are aware of what they want and that the league table does not matter at this moment, adding that his only concern is for the players to adhere to their playing principles.