Matěj Kovář

Matěj Kovář ([ˈmacɛj ˈkovaːr̝]; born 17 May 2000) is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for English club Manchester United.[3]

Matěj Kovář
Personal information
Full name Matěj Kovář[1]
Date of birth (2000-05-17) 17 May 2000
Place of birth Uherské Hradiště, Czech Republic[2]
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Manchester United
Number 51
Youth career
–2018 1. FC Slovácko
2018–2020 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Manchester United 0 (0)
2020–2021 → Swindon Town (loan) 18 (0)
National team
Czech Republic U20
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11:45, 6 January 2021 (UTC)

Club career

Kovář began his career with 1. FC Slovácko in his native Czech Republic, but moved to England to join Manchester United in January 2018 at the age of 17.[4] After being an unused substitute for the under-19s in a 2017–18 UEFA Youth League match against rivals Liverpool on 21 February 2018, he made his debut for the club's under-18s side in a 4–1 league win at home to Everton three days later. He played in all but two of the team's remaining matches that season, replacing Alex Fojticek as first-choice goalkeeper. Kovář was again the first-choice goalkeeper for the reserve team the following season, playing in 17 of their 22 league matches; he also played in six of the seven matches for the under-19s in the 2018–19 UEFA Youth League.[5]

In 2019–20, he played in 11 of the 17 league matches the reserves played before the season was curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, as well as all four matches they played in the 2019–20 EFL Trophy, in which they came up against the senior sides of the teams in EFL League One and Two. His performances for the reserves earned him a new contract with the club, signed in October 2019.[6] With the first team's qualification for the knockout phase of the 2019–20 UEFA Europa League secure, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær selected a young team for their matchday 5 game against Astana in Kazakhstan on 28 November 2019; Kovář was named on the bench as back-up for Lee Grant, but did not play in the match.[7]

Ahead of the 2020–21 season, Kovář moved on loan to Swindon Town in August 2020.[8] On 6 January 2021 Kovář returned to Manchester United after being recalled.[9]

International career

Kovář has represented the Czech Republic at under-20 youth level.[8]

Career statistics
As of match played 19 December 2020.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester United U21 2019–20[10] ———4[lower-alpha 1]040
Manchester United 2020–21[11] Premier League 0000000000
Swindon Town (loan) 2020–21[11] League One 17010101[lower-alpha 1]0200
Career total 170101050240
  1. Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy.

References
  1. "2020/21 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  2. Matěj Kovář at WorldFootball.net
  3. "Czech Republic – M. Kovář – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
  4. Froggatt, Mark (31 January 2018). "Young goalkeeper joins United from FC Slovacko". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  5. "Matej Kovar". redStat. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  6. Marshall, Adam (9 October 2019). "Kovar signs new contract with United". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  7. Chowdhury, Saj (28 November 2019). "Astana 2–1 Manchester United: Solskjaer says youngsters 'knocking on door' of first team". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  8. "Matej Kovar: Manchester United keeper joins Swindon on loan". BBC Sport. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  9. "MANCHESTER UNITED RE-CALL GOALKEEPER MATEJ KOVAR". Swindon Town F.C. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  10. "Games played by Matěj Kovář in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  11. "Games played by Matěj Kovář in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
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