Man Utd to wrap up deal for star singled out by Casemiro with agreement reached

Veteran Manchester United goalkeeper Tom Heaton will pen a one-year contract extension to remain at Old Trafford for the 2026-27 campaign

Tom Heaton is poised to sign a one-year contract extension to stay at Manchester United for a sixth campaign, with the veteran goalkeeper's presence in the squad set to help the club meet a Champions League requirement.

The former Burnley and England keeper turned 40 last month and is considered a valuable member of the United dressing room and a standard-setter in training despite not playing for the first-team in over three years. Heaton has also mentored Senne Lammens during the Belgian's impressive maiden Premier League campaign. Altay Bayindir is poised to leave Old Trafford this summer and Andre Onana should follow him out of the exit door after spending the season on loan at Trabzonspor, meaning Heaton will give United some continuity by remaining third-choice keeper. Heaton came through United's youth system before leaving the club in 2010 without making a single appearance and later returning. He qualifies as a homegrown player and will therefore help United in filling that quota in the club's 25-man squad for their return to the Champions League.

UEFA rules dictate that every squad must have at least eight 'association-trained' players in the 25-man list, of which at least four must 'club-trained'. To qualify, a player must have spent three continuous seasons at that club between the ages of 15 and 21. Only Heaton, Luke Shaw and Amad would fit the bill as club-trained, with Kobbie Mainoo able to be registered on List B under UEFA's squad rules as a player born on or after January 1, 2005, for the 2026/27 season, and who has spent more than two years at the club. Amad has been classed as homegrown by the Premier League this season and should qualify under UEFA's rules. Harry Maguire and Mason Mount would be classed as association-trained.

Heaton was one of four players United used to fill their spots in the Europa League last season alongside young goalkeeper Dermot Mee, Jonny Evans and Marcus Rashford. Mee remains at the club but Evans is now retired, while Rashford is likely to be sold this summer.

In terms of other homegrown prospects, Toby Collyer and Radek Vitek, two players who have spent the season out on loan in the Championship, would qualify for United.

But Vitek is keen to continue playing regularly after a stellar season with Bristol City and, if United cannot persuade him to be their No 2, should have no shortage of suitors this summer. United could name less than the required eight homegrown players, but it would reduce the size of the squad they can submit. So if they only included six players rather than eight, the squad would be capped at 23 rather than 25. Heaton brings a wealth of experience to the dressing room and is a sounding board for captain Bruno Fernandes, while Casemiro praised his influence last week. "The first thing is that he pushes the training," Casemiro told the Rio Ferdinand Meets podcast. "He pushes the training every time. He pushes the game, before the game. Of course, he doesn't play, but he pushes every time. "And he explains his experience. He explains, because he speaks English very well. But for me, every room needs one Tom. Every room needs this guy because he helps the room [so] much."