Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester United shot-stopper Matej Kovar has completed a permanent transfer to Bayer Leverkusen €9 million deal.
Kovar had a loan spell with Sparta Prague in the previous season, where he participated in 28 matches in the Czech top-tier league and contributed to their championship victory.
The Czech star participated in United’s friendly matches against Leeds United and Lyon recently. But he was not included in the pre-season tour of the United States. The original intention was to loan him out.
Nevertheless, the Red Devils have now completed the deal to sell the 23-year-old to Bayer Leverkusen. The initial fee for the transfer is set at €6 million, with the possibility of it increasing to €10 million through performance-based bonuses.
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Kovar travelled to Germany for his medical examination, and the transfer has also been finalised. Meanwhile, the English giants have secured a valuable buy-back clause as part of the transfer deal.
Bayer Leverkusen sign Matěj Kovář from Man United on permanent deal. Fee will be €9m, as per Kicker 🚨🔴⚫️
First part of medical tests will take place today. pic.twitter.com/FTv5TWECdK
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 10, 2023
The young keeper has been associated with United since he was 17 years old, although he has not participated in any competitive matches.
In the initial pre-season games, Kovar demonstrated his potential through skilled distribution, but it was evident that manager Erik ten Hag did not envision him as part of the team’s future plans.
Andre Onana is expected to take on the primary goalkeeping role for both Premier League and Champions League fixtures in the upcoming season, with Tom Heaton likely to serve as his backup.
Although there were discussions about Heaton potentially moving to Luton Town earlier in the summer transfer window, he has opted to stay after conversations with the manager.
On the other hand, Kovar is poised to compete with Lukas Hradecky for the top goalkeeper spot at Leverkusen.
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Hradecky, a Finnish international, has been the established starter since taking over from Bernd Leno in 2018, having accumulated 216 appearances. Nevertheless, Kovar will aim to challenge his position.
Man United finds themselves in a favourable position with this transfer. If the keeper matures into an exceptional keeper, the club retains the option to bring him back by activating the agreed-upon buy-back clause.
