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Radek Vitek has taken to the Championship like a fish to water. On loan at Bristol City, the 21-year-old has quickly become the talk of the division.
Vitek has proved invaluable for the Robins, significantly strengthening their defence.
He currently leads the Championship in saves, and only two other goalkeepers have prevented more goals than him.
Unbeaten in four games, Bristol’s solid start owes much to his commanding presence between the sticks.
United watching closely
As Vitek continues to impress, one concern has begun to trouble Bristol City fans: what if the Red Devils are watching their young Czech goalkeeper shine and decide to recall him?
Well, Bristol manager Gerhard Struber has confirmed via Bristol Post:
“Manchester United are super interested in how he plays every week. I’m always in exchange with them, so I would say he has a bright future for his chest.”
Struber then went on to address the elephant in the room, whether United might recall the goalkeeper in the winter:
“I could be worried every day about something. I am super happy that we have a goalkeeper on this level with us, and I know also that they have some goalkeepers at Manchester United at the moment that are also not so bad.
“In the end, a goalkeeper on this level needs gametime, every week, 90 minutes, and we can give him that right now. He’s not only a good goalkeeper, but he’s also a smart boy, and he knows this helps him to grow and develop.”
Should Vitek have stayed?
Vitek’s storming start in the Championship has sparked debate over whether he should have stayed at United and fought for a place in Ruben Amorim’s squad. Some argue he could have saved the club millions in transfer fees.
But he left, and despite his loan exit including a recall clause, it is unlikely he will be recalled, especially after United’s move to sign Senne Lammens, which injected much-needed quality between the sticks.
United’s crowded goalkeeping department
With Lammens, Tom Heaton, Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir all on the books, Amorim has no shortage of options. The Portuguese tactician now needs to realise which of the four he can trust to bring order to a position that has lacked consistency.
Vitek’s future
For now, Vitek must continue to impress on loan and keep grinding.
If he maintains this level, and with a major goalkeeping shake-up expected next summer, he could well earn a shot at United, perhaps even challenging Lammens for the number one shirt.
Feature image Ed Sykes via Getty Images
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