Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper, Matej Kovar, recently confessed that Manchester United still holds a special place in his heart. This revelation comes after his departure from the club in 2023.
Kovar began his journey with Man Utd back in 2018 when he was just 17 years old. However, despite spending five years at the club, he was unable to break past the Under-21 set-up and did not make a single appearance for the first team. His time at Man Utd included loan spells at Swindon Town, Burton Albion and Sparta Prague before making a permanent move to Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen.
Interestingly enough, while finalizing Kovar's transfer deal with Leverkusen, Man Utd ensured that a first refusal clause was attached. This means that if ever Kovar is up for sale again, Manchester United will have the first right to buy him back.
The Czech goalkeeper proved his talent at BayArena
After completing a £7.7m move and signing a four-year deal with Bayer Leverkusen at Bay Arena, Kovar has been used intermittently by coach Xabi Alonso due to veteran goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky's outstanding form.
Despite featuring only once in Bundesliga where Leverkusen currently leads by eight points atop of the table; Kovar has been quite active in cup competitions this season. He made ten appearances across DFB-Pokal and also played several times during UEFA Europa League matches.
Matej Kovar expressed wish to fulfill his Manchester United dream
While on international duty with Czechia recently and speaking to Sport magazine about his future plans; when asked about potentially returning to Manchester United someday - it seems like an idea close to his heart.
Matej Kovar, Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper, said:
"Of course, they're [United] still my heart. I spent many years at the club. I'll take a look when I get a chance. United are going through a difficult season. The results are like a merry-go-round. But it's a big and great club, I hope it gets back to the top. We all agreed that going to Leverkusen made sense.
"It was a shift for me. And if someone had told me before the season that I would play around 15 games for Leverkusen, one of the best teams in Europe, I would have taken all ten. I believe that I made the right move and that it will be confirmed in the future."
Matej Kovar's journey from Manchester United to Bayer Leverkusen has been a rollercoaster ride. Despite not breaking into the first team at Man Utd, he has found his footing in Leverkusen and is making a name for himself in cup competitions. However, with the first refusal clause and his fondness for Man Utd, fans might just see him back at Old Trafford in the future.
