Odysseas Vlachodimos profiled with Man Utd goalkeeper target wanting transfer
Benfica goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos has emerged as a surprise target for Manchester United with just 11 days of the summer transfer window remaining.
Having already spent nearly £200million on Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund, United boss Erik ten Hag is ready to dip back into the market because of a fresh development at Old Trafford. Second-choice goalkeeper Dean Henderson is now the subject of interest from Crystal Palace, who hope to steal a march on Nottingham Forest and secure the 26-year-old's signature.
The Red Devils are braced for a bidding war over Henderson, who previously looked set to stay beyond deadline day and challenge Onana for the No.1 position during the course of the 2023-24 season. The weekend's update has prompted Ten Hag and co to go in search of a new shot-stopper and fortunately for United, Benfica's star has already given them the go-ahead to complete a transfer.
So, who is Odysseas Vlachodimos?
Background and breakthrough
Born in Germany but now a regular international for Greece thanks to his parents' descent, Vlachodimos made his name while rising through the ranks of hometown club Stuttgart. Despite spending 14 years with the Bundesliga side, the goalkeeper only made three first-team appearances and left to join Greek heavyweights Panathinaikos in 2016 to kickstart his promising career.
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Wrestling the gloves from English 'keeper Luke Steele over the course of his first full campaign in Athens, Vlachodimos demonstrated his impressive shot-stopping ability and was soon noticed by Benfica. Immediately installed as first-choice, his performances in the Champions League and later Europa League garnered praise, prompting the Portuguese giants to hand him a lucrative new contract at the beginning of the 2019-20 season shortly after winning their domestic title.
Continuing his progression in Lisbon - which meanwhile saw him become eligible to play for Greece internationally after representing Germany at youth level - Vlachodimos would go without a Primeira Liga title until Benfica finally triumphed again this year. One would presume that it's still going swimmingly for the 29-year-old, but not quite.
Manchester United are exploring a move for Benfica goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos (Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)Benfica journey goes south
German boss Roger Schmidt took over as manager at the start of last term and made some significant changes to the Eagles' line-up. Although Vlachodimos maintained his place throughout the campaign and was even rewarded with a new contract until 2027 back in March, Schmidt recently dropped the long-serving goalkeeper in place of Portuguese prodigy Samuel Soares.
Benfica have also brought in highly-rated Ukrainian shot-stopper Anatolii Trubin, increasing the uncertainty surrounding Vlachodimos' future. He's not done much to quash the speculation either and is open to a move away after five years in Lisbon. "I'm ready to move on," Vlachodimos told Greek publication Sport24 earlier this summer.
"It's something I want now. I established myself, won titles, experienced great successes, played in the Champions League and the Europa League. Benfica gave me a lot, it helped to develop me, but I think that the conditions are met to take the next step."
Have your say! Would Odysseas Vlachodimos be a good signing? Give us your verdict in the comments section.
Odysseas Vlachodimos is expected to leave Benfica before the end of the transfer window (Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)And that's where United come in. With Henderson potentially moving on and third-choice 'keeper Tom Heaton currently out injured, Ten Hag is scouring the market to find a replacement who can compete with Onana.
Schmidt insists that he still values Vlachodimos but has also suggested that he wouldn't stand in the former Stuttgart hotshot's way if he wanted to leave. Portuguese outlet A Bola report that Vlachodimos has a hefty €60million (£51m) release clause in his contract, although it's unlikely that United would entertain such a fee and could instead opt for a loan proposal.
Similar to the signings of Martin Dubravka and Jack Butland on half-season loans last term, it's evident that the Red Devils are looking for short-term relief in the goalkeeping department. They've just offloaded Czechia youth international Matej Kovar to Bayer Leverkusen and sold Nathan Bishop to Sunderland, leaving Onana as the only available senior goalkeeper should Henderson depart.
What's his playing style?
Of course, Ten Hag doesn't want just any goalkeeper to warm the bench, he wants someone capable to slotting into his preferred style of play. Vlachodimos boasted an impressive 80 per cent pass accuracy during the 2022-23 season and is renowned for being a strong shot-stopper with fine reflexes.
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His poor reputation for coming out and collecting crosses is a weakness, however, with whoscored.com noting as much. On the whole, though, Vlachodimos would serve as a decent backup to Onana and if United's new £47m signing doesn't acclimatise to the rigours of Premier League football this term, then his understudy may well be called into action and given a chance to shine.
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