Manchester United are reportedly setting their sights on another emerging goalkeeping talent, Malmö's Melker Ellborg, just months after the successful acquisition of Senne Lammens.
Building on a New Foundation
The Red Devils moved to secure Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp on September 1, and the 23-year-old has made an immediate impact. Since his debut on October 4, Lammens' presence between the posts has coincided with a significant improvement in both the team's form and results, earning praise from teammates and pundits alike.
Despite this positive start, the club's search for goalkeeping reinforcement continues. With Andre Onana out on loan at Trabzonspor and Altay Bayindir failing to convince when given opportunities, neither appears to have a long-term future at Old Trafford. The focus has now shifted to finding a reliable understudy for the impressive Lammens.
The Swedish Prospect
This search has led United's scouts to Sweden and 22-year-old Melger Ellborg of Malmö FF. The young stopper has been turning heads with his performances in the Allsvenskan and on the European stage in the Europa League.
Despite competing for a place with former Everton and Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen, Ellborg has made seven top-flight appearances this season and featured twice in European competition. He notably saved a penalty in a narrow 1-0 defeat to Panathinaikos last week, showcasing his potential on a bigger stage.
According to Swedish publication Expressen, there is 'great interest' in the Sweden youth international, with Manchester United confirmed among his suitors. The report indicates that several clubs have been monitoring Ellborg, and bids could materialise when the transfer window reopens in January.
Praise and Pressure for the New Number One
The urgency to sign Ellborg is tempered by the stellar beginning to Lammens' United career. Defender Harry Maguire was quick to applaud the new signing after a 2-1 win at Liverpool in just the Belgian's second start for the club.
'I must say I am heavily impressed by Senne Lammens,' Maguire stated. 'I don't want to get carried away because he is playing in the position with the most pressure, it's the most difficult position at Manchester United. But he's got everything. Great personality.'
Club legend Rio Ferdinand also hailed the goalkeeper on his YouTube show, saying: 'You can't talk about anyone being our most important player without mentioning the goalkeeper. It's no coincidence we've had an upturn in form. We've got a goalkeeper that it seems all the players trust.'
However, not all opinions are uniformly positive. Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey has controversially argued that United should still seek to replace Lammens in January, suggesting the club needs a more established world-class name to match the ambitions of rivals like Manchester City.
