Manchester United are reportedly preparing to offer Tom Heaton a new one-year contract at Old Trafford.
The 39-year-old was widely expected to retire from professional football at the end of June, when his current deal ends, and there has been speculation surrounding a possible coaching opportunity at Old Trafford.
However, according to the Daily Mail, Man United are now willing to hand Heaton another 12 months to take him to the end of next season, with the club wary of potentially losing all three of their first-team goalkeepers this summer.
The report claims that Heaton would remain as the team's third-choice stopper, but there is a chance that one or two new goalkeepers could arrive, as Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir are currently being linked with departures.
Onana has once again struggled during the 2024-25 campaign, with the Cameroonian making a number of high-profile mistakes, while Bayindir has not been able to prove that he is capable of being a number one at a major club.
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Heaton 'in line for new Man United deal'
Heaton started his professional career with Man United, but he did not make a single first-team appearance for the club during his first spell at Old Trafford, spending the majority of his time out on loan.
The Englishman has since played for Cardiff City, Bristol City, Burnley and Aston Villa, and he then secured a return to Man United in 2021.
Heaton has still not made a single Premier League appearance for the 20-time English champions, while he has been limited to only three outings over the last four campaigns, two of which came in 2022-23.
The goalkeeper is still viewed as an important figure at Old Trafford, though, as he commands the respect of his teammates, and he is expected to jump at the chance to continue earning £45,000 a week in his current role.
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Will Onana leave Man United this summer?
Man United have a major decision to make this summer when it comes to Onana, as it has again been a difficult season for the 29-year-old, who has kept just 10 clean sheets in 46 appearances in all competitions.
Onana was dropped against Newcastle United in the Premier League earlier this month off the back of a poor performance against Lyon in the Europa League, but he has since regained his spot between the sticks.
The Cameroonian has a contract at Old Trafford until June 2028, and there are unlikely to be a shortage of takers if it becomes clear that Man United want to move him on during this summer's transfer window.
Bayindir is looking to become a number one elsewhere, meanwhile, so it makes sense to keep hold of Heaton, as having to bring in three new goalkeepers for the 2025-26 campaign would cause major disruption.
Onana, Bayindir and Heaton are all in the Man United squad that has travelled to Spain for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday night.
Matt Law
