Manchester United’s decision to sign a goalkeeper this summer has sparked controversy. Legendary former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has bluntly stated that the club missed out on Damian Martínez and Gianluigi Donnarumma, only to opt for Aaron Ramsdale—someone he had never heard of—leaving him deeply disappointed.
The 61-year-old told reporters from camel.live, “We should have signed Damian Martínez. Everything was in place for the deal with Martínez, and it felt really good because he’s exactly the kind of goalkeeper Manchester United needs.”
“He has proven himself at the highest level. His fundamental skills are all excellent, and more importantly, he brings genuine leadership. He’s the type of goalkeeper that makes strikers wary—that presence is crucial. So when I heard the deal fell through due to financial reasons, it really disappointed me.”
“As for Ramsdale, to be honest, I’d never heard of him before news of the move emerged. I know he has impressive statistics in one of Europe’s top 10 leagues, but those came during his time at Antwerp in Belgium—and that team finished fifth. He saved 4 out of 8 penalties, but signing a player based solely on statistics is a risky move. Statistics don’t show how you respond after making a mistake, nor do they reflect how you handle the pressure at Manchester United. That pressure is unique in football.”
“Ramsdale might eventually become one of United’s best signings ever, but right now, this feels more like a ‘hopeful’ choice—and that’s not what Manchester United needs at the moment. If we had signed both him and Martínez, that would have made complete sense: an experienced goalkeeper with a World Cup winners’ medal as the starter, and a talented young goalkeeper to develop as his understudy. But now, all we can ask is: who is United’s number one goalkeeper?”
“The way modern goalkeepers distribute the ball from the back is changing. Manchester City just signed Donnarumma—a tall goalkeeper who commands the penalty area—and that’s a response to Arsenal’s set-piece tactics over the years. Pep Guardiola has now made a certain compromise in how his team builds up play from the back. Last Sunday against United, we saw many goal kicks played directly upfield. So he’s moving the starting point of Manchester City’s attacks further forward. But that’s Guardiola—he’s never wrong. In fact, we should have seized that opportunity to sign Donnarumma ourselves back then.”
