Manchester United are set to complete their first signing of the 2021 summer transfer window. Former United academy player, and ex-England international, Tom Heaton, will join the club after leaving Aston Villa.
Goalkeeper Tom Heaton will rejoin Manchester United in the coming days, confirms Fabrizio Romano. The 35-year-old will return to his boyhood club a decade after leaving in search of better opportunities. During that time, Heaton has represented Burnley and Aston Villa and has been capped by England three times.
Romano confirms that Heaton is expected to undergo his Manchester United medical in the coming days. Following this, the custodian will sign a two-year contract with an option to trigger another year. Heaton will become the Red Devils’ first signing of the summer, with the club targeting at least four more players to strengthen the senior squad.
Heaton is unlikely to challenge either David De Gea or Dean Henderson in goal. The pair are jointly the number one at Manchester United, with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer constantly rotating between the two. Meanwhile, United also have Sergio Romero, Lee Grant, and Joel Pereira on their books. Romero, at least, is expected to leave the club this summer, allowing Heaton to take the number three spot on the roster.
After six successive loan spells between 2005 and 2010, Heaton decided to cut ties with boyhood club Manchester United. The Englishman completed a permanent move to Cardiff City in 2010 and subsequently switched between several clubs before landing at Burnley in 2013. It was at Turf Moor that Heaton came under international spotlight. His performances propelled him to the England set-up and he was duly awarded three caps for the national team.
Following the breakthrough of Nick Pope, Heaton was demoted to the number two spot at Burnley. The Englishman decided to end his association with the club in 2019 and move to Aston Villa. Heaton appeared 20 times for Villa during the 2019/20 season as they survived in the Premier League by the skin of their teeth. In the subsequent season, they paid a big fee to sign Emiliano Martinez from Arsenal, once again demoting Heaton to the number two spot.
