Manchester United are exploring the goalkeeper market and Karl Darlow has emerged as a genuine option, prompting the possibility of a player making that rare footballing journey from Leeds United to Old Trafford.
Darlow is one of the names being discussed in Manchester, with Sam Johnstone of relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers another, and while none of the conversations are advanced, the club are holding talks to establish costs of possible deals, in terms of fees and wages.
Darlow, 35, would be available as a free agent, with his Leeds contract expiring at the end of this month.
As summer goes on, Manchester United are expected to sign a new goalkeeper, given the exits that are set to happen from their squad.
Tottenham Hotspur may rival them for the Wales international, who would follow Eric Cantona, Rio Ferdinand and Alan Smith in swapping Elland Road for Old Trafford, and/or Johnstone, depending on how their goalkeeping situation develops — Antonin Kinsky is regarded highly at Spurs now, but Guglielmo Vicario’s future could be away from north London.
Why are Manchester United looking at Darlow?
Manchester United are considering the goalkeeper market to add an experienced No 2 to support first-choice Senne Lammens as they embark on a season with many more fixtures than last term.
Andre Onana’s future is elsewhere, with the club wishing to remove his salary, of around £160,000 per week, from the wage bill. Onana spent last season on loan at Turkey’s Trabzonspor but is scheduled to return to the mothership for pre-season training in July. An exit, possibly back to Turkey on another loan or permanently, is expected.
Altay Bayindir, who was the principal backup to Lammens for most of last season, is in line to leave too, most likely making a return to his native Turkey. Istanbul side Besiktas have been linked.
Radek Vitek, the 22-year-old who swept the board for Bristol City’s Player of the Year prizes while on loan to the Championship club last season, could be an excellent deputy but is expected to depart to somewhere he’ll get more regular first-team football, either on loan or permanently. Several clubs have expressed an interest in him.
Tom Heaton signed a new one-year contract this month and is seen as a vital member of the dressing room in terms of maintaining standards. But the former England international turned 40 in April and hasn’t played a senior game since February 2023.
Darlow, when in such circumstances as a backup, has shown he can push a No 1, dislodging summer 2025 signing Lucas Perri at Leeds in January and staying in the team until the end of the season. He has nearly 300 career appearances in club football, including 74 in the Premier League, and 15 Wales caps.
Is there a financial and registration benefit to signing him?
Darlow being out of contract this summer is appealing to the Old Trafford hierarchy, who are looking to save money. English born and having come through the Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest academies, he counts as a homegrown player. Clubs must have a minimum of eight such players in their 25-man Premier League squads, so signing Darlow to replace Bayindir would free up a place elsewhere.
The same is true of Johnstone. He has two years left on his contract at Molineux but Wolves might need to raise funds through sales after relegation from the Premier League. Johnstone is 33, with 380 career club appearances, including 85 in the Premier League, and four England caps. He came through Manchester United’s academy before being sold to West Bromwich Albion in 2018 after being sent out on loan nine times.
What would this mean for the club’s other goalkeepers?
Lammens has established himself as the clear No 1, but with Champions League action back on the schedule next season, there might be occasions where he needs rotating for domestic action, predominantly in the two cups. Having tried-and-tested Premier League goalkeepers would give head coach Michael Carrick flexibility over selections.
Vitek is highly regarded after starring in the second tier last season, where he played in 41 of the 46 league games and kept 12 clean sheets, but the likelihood is he will want first-team football again in the new campaign, and so will be subject to interest from several clubs.
Heaton would remain as a valued training partner and influence around the club’s Carrington base. Dermot Mee, a 23-year-old who played four games on loan at neighbours Altrincham in the fifth-tier National League during the 2022-23 season, could also be a presence in sessions.
Laurie Whitwell
Where would Darlow fit in at Spurs?
After three years with the club, Vicario’s Tottenham future is uncertain. The Italy international was first-choice for the majority of last season before hernia surgery in March. He missed five games and then had to watch from the bench as Kinsky produced key saves in Spurs’ final two games to help them avoid relegation. The latter’s stock has risen dramatically since his humiliating first-half substitution against Atletico Madrid under Igor Tudor in March, and he looks far more suited to current head coach Roberto De Zerbi’s possession-based style.
It is unlikely 29-year-old Vicario will be happy as the backup, which is why the pursuit of an experienced, older goalkeeper such as Darlow makes sense. Kinsky, 23, could be officially promoted to No 1 and be supported by the former Leeds man, and Vicario sold to raise funds which Spurs could reinvest elsewhere in the squad.
Do Tottenham need a player like Darlow?
Vicario’s relationship with the Spurs supporters was damaged last season due to a series of high-profile errors. He was ironically cheered by the home crowd following a mistake which led to Harry Wilson’s long-range goal in November’s damaging defeat to Fulham.
De Zerbi has referred to his countryman as his first-choice goalkeeper on multiple occasions but it would be a huge risk to play him over Kinsky at the start of next season. During his time with Brighton & Hove Albion, De Zerbi rotated between Bart Verbruggen and Jason Steele in the 2023-24 season, but nobody at Spurs wants a repeat of that bizarre scenario.
Darlow will be 36 in October and could be relied upon in the cup competitions for the next couple of years and, crucially, has the quality to step in and play Premier League football if required. It makes sense for Tottenham to sign him on a free and move on from Vicario after three mixed years.
Jay Harris
How has Darlow played? Would he be a good No 2 for an elite side?
He’s been really good. He began each of the last two seasons as the backup at Leeds, but ended each as manager Daniel Farke’s first-choice, having forced his way past Illan Meslier and Perri respectively.
Darlow made some fantastic saves last season which kept Leeds in several games as they successfully fought to stave off relegation. Notably, one of his better performances came at Old Trafford in April, where the visitors won 2-1.
Also currently No 1 for Wales, he looks like the ideal backup choice for a Champions League side. He’s experienced, homegrown, a great character for the dressing room, two weeks from being out of contract and dependable if needed.
Do Leeds want to keep him?
Yes. The goalkeeping picture at Elland Road is uncertain. Darlow was good for Leeds, but given he’s begun all three of his seasons at the club as a backup, there are clearly reservations about his overall ability to be their undisputed starter.
While Leeds do want to retain him, it’s unclear whether Farke will give Darlow any assurances about playing time, and there is every possibility Leeds want to bring in another goalkeeper.
Darlow may, understandably at 35, want something verging on guaranteed starts next season, which would put Manchester United out of the picture as a destination anyway.
How would this move go down?
Manchester United are the club Leeds fans hate more than any other. If a player leaves Elland Road, a supporter’s sole request, generally, is, ‘go anywhere but Old Trafford’.
The more explosive examples of this particular divide being crossed are Ferdinand, Cantona and Smith. Seeing Smith, as a Leeds native and homegrown academy starlet, in the red shirt smarted more than any, however.
If Darlow does end up in Manchester, it would not sit well with Leeds fans, but there would be nothing like the strength of feeling that greeted those previous examples. He has had a nomadic career (his next club will be his seventh in senior football since a 2011 debut for Forest), does not have especially deep roots in the Yorkshire city and, as a backup goalkeeper, he has not had the high-profile presence of the others to make this move.
Beren Cross