Manager talks up ‘unthinkable’ Radek Vitek deal and backs him to reach ‘full potential’

The former excelling at right-back and the latter turning home an Alejandro Garnacho cross to mark his Old Trafford unveiling with an 87th minute winner.

Though an eye-catching start is not merely limited to those who have arrived at Manchester United.

Mason Greenwood scored twice on his Ligue 1 bow for Marseille. Aaron Wan-Bissaka stepped off the bench and helped set up Thomas Soucek’s game-breaker in the 2-0 win at Crystal Palace for West Ham United.

And Radek Vitek, the young goalkeeper loaned out by the Red Devils again, emerged from his first appearance in the Austrian Bundesliga with his sheet clean and his reputation enhanced.

Radek Vitek impressing away from Manchester United

After playing 18 games at Accrington Stanley last season, Vitek is now at Blau-Weiss Linz for the remainder of the current campaign.

Presuming this is a sign of things to come – the young shot-stopper making four saves from attempts within his own penalty area during Sunday’s 3-0 win over Rapid Vienna – the Czech Under 20 international could be heading for a breakout season in his second loan spell and his first in a top-flight league.

“He makes a very good impression. Not only on the pitch, but also as a person,” Linz head coach Gerald Scheiblehner tells the Oberosterreichische Nachrichten.

“Two years ago, it would have been unthinkable that a player from Manchester United would come to Blau-Weiss Linz.”

Scheiblehner has a point. Back in 2022, Linz were new to the top-flight of Austrian football, having obtained promotion from the second tier. They then comfortably stayed clear of relegation while securing a ninth place finish last term.

It is a credit how far Linz have come in such a short space of time that Man United are willing to entrust them with the development of a young player with so much potential.

“With Radek, we are getting a very talented young goalkeeper who has already gained a lot of experience in England and is, among other things, part of the goalkeeping team of Manchester United ‘s first team,” sporting director Christoph Schosswendter says of Linz’s new 6ft 6ins colossus.

“His skills and strengths fit very well with the profile we are looking. I am sure that he will soon reach his full potential.

“Getting a player from Manchester United also shows that we as a club have done a lot of things right and are on the right track.”

Facundo Pellistri and Will Fish have also left Old Trafford

Vitek is one of a number of young players who have left Old Trafford – either on a temporary or a permanent basis – in the last two weeks.

Will Fish joins Cardiff City for an initial fee of £1 million – the Championship outfit finally getting their mitts on a player they had watched for months – while Maxi Oyedele moves to Poland with Legia Warsaw despite an impressive pre-season under Erik ten Hag.

Facundo Pellistri, meanwhile, puts his decision to swap the Red Devils for Panathinaikos down to the simple fact that opportunities were likely to be restricted with so much talent vying for a spot on the wings at United.

“It was amazing,” Pellistri tells the Panathinaikos website. “I spent four years at Manchester United. They are one of the biggest clubs in the world.

“(But) if you look at the squad, you will see the best footballers. The competition is great and sometimes you will get a chance to compete, sometimes not.

“As a team, it is so big, with so many footballers in all positions. Sometimes, it is not so easy to find playing time.”

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