The custodian position at Manchester United has been under intense scrutiny for a while now. Andre Onana’s two mistakes during the team’s Europa League draw with Lyon heightened the tension.
The goalie’s errors couldn’t have come at a worse moment, as Nemanja Matic had called him “one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United history” during the build-up. Italian clubs are keeping an eye on the situation, and there has been speculation that the Red Devils may be willing to transfer Onana amid the dispute.
David de Gea, the former number one, has undoubtedly been watched by club supporters recently. Erik ten Hag thought the Spaniard wasn’t good enough, but he’s had a great season with Fiorentina. He made headlines this week in the Europa League, for instance, but in a good way, thanks to a “monstrous” performance against Celje.
Even though this Serie A star received a lot of attention, another excellent goalie in Italy is also playing well. He also played for Manchester United, which is ironic.
Vanja Milinkovic-Savic Used to Play For Manchester United
Now outperforming David de Gea in Serie A
Vanja Milinkovic-Savic is not a name that most Premier League fans will recognise. To be fair, the Serbian was in England for a short time.
In 2014–15, he spent less than a season at Old Trafford and did not play a senior game for the Red Devils. The 17-year-old was considered one of the best goalkeeping prospects in the world of football, but his contract with Manchester United was cancelled in November 2015, only months after he joined in August of the same year, because of a failed work permit. He was unable to get around this by signing a loan.
He would eventually move to Torino after spending two years in Poland with Lechia Gdansk, and after three loan stints, he would become the first-choice custodian for the Italian team.
He is doing well in 2024–2025. With an average SofaScore rating of 7.32 this season, he is, in fact, the best-rated goalie in the division among all regular Serie A goalkeepers. De Gea’s score of 7.23 places him in fourth place.
Given his hectic schedule, Milinkovic-Savic’s amazing nine clean sheets are all the more astounding. After all, he has made more saves than any other goalie in the Italian top division this season with 109. He has therefore contributed to Torino’s mid-table (10th) position at this point in the season.
The Serbian’s four penalty saves, however, are arguably what get the most attention. The next Serie A ‘keeper, who also happens to be De Gea (two), has double this amount. By contrast, Onana has only saved one penalty this season while facing six in all competitions.
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