Manchester United made a move to bring in Dibu Martínez on loan but got turned down by Aston Villa. The report, shared by Fabrizio Romano, puts to rest any notion that the English club has things figured out in goal. Onana is still under fire, Bayindir hasn’t had a real chance, and now the team has to choose whether to take a gamble on a young name or chase someone ready to deliver. The bigger issue is that the market already sees how uncertain United looks right now.
Villa held onto a defensive pillar
Villa’s decision makes sense. Dibu Martínez, 32, just wrapped up another solid year and was named the top goalkeeper at both the 2024 Copa América and by FIFA — two times in a row. He’s not someone you loan out. He’s become a core part of an Aston Villa that’s grown stronger, is heading into the Europa League, and has no interest in giving up key players.
United, on the other hand, is still searching for answers. Onana came in with a lot of hype but hasn’t lived up to it, collecting errors and criticism along the way. He never really locked down the role. Bayindir was signed as backup, barely sees the field, and isn’t even in the conversation to take over. Going after Dibu made it obvious the club is looking for someone steady between the posts for 2025–26.
After the rejection, United has to explore other options
One of those options is Senne Lammens, the 23-year-old goalkeeper from Royal Antwerp in Belgium. A completely different type of player. Younger, less tested, still developing and with that, more uncertainty. That’s the decision United faces now: stick with the long-term plan or try to fix the problem immediately.
So far, Ruben Amorim hasn’t made a call. What’s clear is that he can’t afford another mistake when it comes to goalkeepers. Next season’s Premier League is shaping up to be even tighter, and fans are running out of patience. This choice needs to be made carefully, not out of desperation.
The Dibu Martínez approach shows that United is looking for someone with experience, confidence, and presence. But they couldn’t convince Aston Villa to let him go. If the club wants to compete again with Europe’s best, especially after another letdown of a season, it needs to regroup and get serious.