Manchester United has a few important decisions to make in the next six months regarding replacements for ancient stars of the club. Keeper Edwin van der Sarr and midfielder Paul Scholes are more than likely playing their last seasons in the EPL respectively and both men have been staples for the club for the last decade.
No word yet on a definitive answer to the Scholes problem, but it appears the Red Devils have narrowed down their search to replace the Flying Dutchmen in the net. 26-year-old Denmark international Anders Lindegaard from Aalesunds is expected to join the club this January and that rumor has been confirmed by both sides, but Lindegaard is expected to become the longtime backup for the club down the road and will likely not regularly start for the club. Lindegaard has very little big match experience in his career and is considered a prospect with not too much growth potential down the road.
But that isn’t the only player in between the posts that Man U wants in time for next season. 20 year old Atletico Madrid sensation David De Gea is the club’s true dream starting keeper for 2011. The young Spanish keeper is considered one of the best in La Liga and has been a dominant force in the net for Spain’s Under 20 team for the last few years. De Gea has often praised his current club and claimed that he desires to stay, but at an estimated 15 million euro deal by Manchester United to invest in the promising young keeper might just be enough to sway his side’s loyalty away from their young star.
De Gea on the prospects of moving to Old Trafford:
I know Sir Alex Ferguson has already looked at me. My contract runs until mid-2013. After this season, we should look at what happens. Whoever wants to talk can come and talk. I owe Atletico everything and I would love to stay here but, on the other hand, Manchester United are a great club.
No word yet on if Atletico would be willing to sell the keeper of so much promise, but at 15 million euros I’d say that would be the deal of the century for the English club considering their current roster of mediocre options at keeper. De Gea is valued at around double that price in my opinion because having him on your squad will likely mean that you will contend for the top four just about every single season. But goalies are always undervalued on the transfer market and De Gea could be the most underrated move of the off season when it is all over with.
