MANCHESTER UNITED have identified Malmo goalkeeper Melker Ellborg as a potential younger back-up to summer signing Senne Lammens.
The 22-year-old shot-stopper has generated great interest this season after keeping clean sheets in his first four league starts for the Swedish champions.
Ellborg grabbed his chance with both hands after an injury to Malmo’s first-choice keeper thrust him into the spotlight in May.
He recorded five shutouts in a row in all competitions and conceded only once in seven games before being dropped to the bench when 79-cap international Robin Olsen returned from Aston Villa in July.
The former Sweden Under-20 international had to bide his time for further chances, but is now getting games in the Europa League.
Mellborg saved a penalty in a 1-0 home defeat to Panathinaikos last week, catching the eye of United scouts.
UNITED SUED
Man Utd sued over ‘sexual and physical abuse’ claim
He said later: “Penalties are a bit of a lottery, I would say. This time it went well.”
“I knew the taker was trying to wait me out, so the plan was to try to wait him out. That’s kind of what I try to do in those situations – it worked well this time.”
The youngster’s performances in the competition have looked more assured than Olsen’s in the league, leading to talk that he should now demand to be Malmo’s number one.
But he batted away the question in the aftermath of the Panathinaikos game.
BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK
Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn 2 – all the info
TIME for round two of this generation’s family feud!
Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn go punch-for-punch once again as both rivals look to make their fathers proud.
The blockbuster rematch takes place at the 62,000-seater Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, November 15.
Eubank Jr narrowly outpointed his bitter foe after 12 brutal rounds in April to secure the bragging rights in what was certainly a Fight of the Year contender.
And the two British superstars will dance once more as Eubank Jr aims to do the double while Benn seeks revenge after suffering a first career loss.
WATCH EUBANK JR VS BENN 2 ONLY ON DAZN
INFO
LATEST NEWS
VIDEO
*If you click on a link in this boxout, we will earn affiliate revenue.
He said: “I’m just happy to get this opportunity. I try to show as much as possible on the pitch and prove myself there, so I’m not a player who goes around demanding things.”
Those comments could be just the ticket to the back-up job at Old Trafford, where former Manchester City goalkeeper Tony Coton is the club’s specialist scout for the position.
Red Devils director of football Jason Wilcox told the Inside Carrington podcast that Coton put Lammens on his radar 12 months ago.
Wilcox said: “He was relentless with it. This guy is going to be a top signing for us and you know he started well, but he’s got to keep it going.
“He’s very reflective. He’s very professional, his approach. He wants to get better.”
Any move to sign 6ft 3in Mellborg, who is only 10 months younger than Lammens, would leave United’s goalkeeping ranks short on experience with the Belgian yet to reach 100 senior appearances.
But the club are expected to let both Andre Onana and Altay Bayandir leave permanently in the summer.
Onana joined Trabzonspor on a season-long loan shortly after Lammens signed while Bayandir has been linked with several clubs in Turkey.
