Manchester United were busy in the transfer market this summer, with Erik ten Hag adding six new faces to the squad as he began his Old Trafford revolution.
If reports were to be believed, it would have been far more, however. United were being linked with an endless group of players and every day, a different player was rumoured to be joining the Reds.
That was especially true for the final few weeks of the window as United looked to add options to their goalkeeping department following the departures of Dean Henderson and Lee Grant.
Daniel Bachmann, the Watford goalkeeper, was one of the players heavily linked with a move to United and the Austrian shot-stopper has now spoken out on the rumours, admitting he held ‘serious’ talks with the Reds.
“There have been talks with Manchester United,” Bachmann told LAOLA1, via Sport Witness. “That’s no secret. Of course, it’s great to be associated with such a club. It was also serious. There were negotiations between the clubs and of course between me and the clubs.
“In the end, however, I’m still a Watford player and I’m very happy about it. Because I play here regularly, bring in my performances and hopefully can play a role in the national team again.
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“If I had gone to Man United, then I would of course have been number two. That’s quite clear because in David de Gea they have a top goalkeeper who has been one of the best, if not the best, goalkeeper in the Premier League over the last ten years.”
Bachmann ended up staying at the Championship club and has started all of their eight league games this season after Ben Foster, the previous number one, left the club.
After a move for Bachmann was abandoned, United scoured the market for a different profile and eventually landed on Newcastle star Martin Dubravka, who joined on a season-long loan.
SN’s verdict…
It was quite clear that United were looking for an experienced goalkeeper to join as David de Gea’s backup and perhaps Ralf Rangnick’s ties with Bachmann had an influence. Bachmann is now Rangnick’s number one for the Austrian national team.
With three experienced goalkeepers now at the club, United will feel they have positioned themselves well to find a long-term replacement for De Gea.
A deal to sign Bachmann would most likely had to have been a permanent one and Dubravka’s arrival on loan offers them freedom to pursue other targets.
