Crouch slams United for missing out on Argentinian superstar | OneFootball

Crouch questions Man Utd recruitment strategy

Peter Crouch has once again voiced his frustrations at Manchester United’s transfer business, insisting the club overlooked an “obvious issue” despite spending close to £200m last summer. For a side still struggling to find rhythm under Ruben Amorim, the criticism cuts to the heart of a wider malaise at Old Trafford.

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Goalkeeper dilemma and Martinez debate

United’s summer activity brought in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammens. Yet seven games into the season, Amorim’s side have won only twice, their most recent defeat a 3-1 reverse against Brentford. It is in goal, however, where Crouch believes the cracks are clearest.

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“It feels to me that the situation with the goalkeeper just hasn’t been addressed,” Crouch told TNT Sports. “It feels like they’ve got three number twos now. It’s an issue that was obvious, Andre Onana wasn’t going to be the No. 1, we knew that at the start of the season but the situation still hasn’t been addressed.”

For Crouch, the oversight was glaring given that Emiliano Martinez and Gianluigi Donnarumma were both attainable options. “I don’t know why when you’ve got Donnarumma or Martinez available the situation wasn’t resolved,” he added. “With Martinez, it felt obvious for him to come in, he’s dominant and fits the stature and personnel that Manchester United need.”

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Historical comparisons and present concerns

Crouch drew on the club’s past to underline his view. “They don’t think Lammens is ready, he’s still a young man so maybe he will be in the future. But United have always had dominant goalkeepers, look at Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar.” In this light, the acquisition of Lammens on deadline day for £18m appears less like a solution and more like a gamble.

United’s heritage is filled with towering presences in goal, figures who defined eras and steadied campaigns. The absence of a comparable figure now only sharpens the sense of disarray.

Pressure mounting on Amorim

Defeat at Brentford underlined the fragility of Amorim’s project. Igor Thiago’s brace and Mathias Jensen’s late strike cancelled out Benjamin Sesko’s first Premier League goal, while Bruno Fernandes’ missed penalty epitomised United’s uncertainty. Altay Bayindir remains first choice, but his performances have not quelled concerns.

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Next weekend’s meeting with Sunderland already feels weighted with significance. For Amorim, for the dressing room and for a fanbase weary of repeated false dawns, answers are needed quickly. Crouch’s words linger, casting doubt on the decision-making at a club that continues to chase clarity in the transfer market.