Bayer Leverkusen star admits Man Utd are ‘in his heart’

Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Matej Kovar has admitted Manchester United are ‘still in his heart’ after leaving the club in 2023.

Kovar joined Man Utd back in 2018 as a 17-year-old but failed to get past the Under-21 set-up during his five years at the club, not making a single appearance for the first team. Following loan spells at Swindon Town, Burton Albion and Sparta Prague, the Czech goalkeeper made a permanent move to Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen.

While Kovar failed to break into the first-team, the Red Devils ensured that a first refusal clause was attached to the deal with Leverkusen.

Since completing a £7.7m move to Leverkusen and signing a four-year deal at the Bay Arena, Kovar has been utilised sporadically by Xabi Alonso due to the fantastic form of veteran goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky.

Kovar has featured just once in the Bundesliga while Leverkusen have stormed to an eight-point lead atop of the table, but he has been a regular in cup competitions, making ten appearances across the DFB-Pokal and UEFA Europa League thus far this season.

Speaking to Sport while on international duty with Czechia, Kovar was asked about a potential return to Manchester United in the future.

He said: “No, I have not. It is important for me to start playing regularly and establish a position in Leverkusen. Then, we will see what happens in the future.

“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.”