A goalkeeper will near the top of Erik ten Hag’s wishlist next summer as David de Gea edges closer to the final six months of his Manchester United contract. But the Red Devils should abandon their current reported succession plan and follow Real Madrid’s lead by poaching one of the stars of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
De Gea is set to leave United after a 12-year stint at Old Trafford unless he dramatically reduces his £375,000-a-week salary. Ten Hag isn’t expected to trigger the 32-year-old’s option for a further year otherwise, eyeing a No 1 more suited to his demanding style of play.
United have reportedly identified Borussia Monchengladbach’s Yann Sommer as his replacement, with the veteran stopper heading for free agency at the end of the season. Sommer can sign a pre-contract agreement in January, which could prompt the Old Trafford giants to seal his services early.
However, there is a sense that he will act as a quick fix while United’s budget is in limbo amid murmurs of the Glazers’ possible sale of the club in the coming months. Even so, Ten Hag should either stick with De Gea for another year or divert his attention to an elite long-term option who stood across the pitch from Sommer as Portugal thumped Switzerland 6-1 in the World Cup last 16.
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Diogo Costa’s stock has rocket-boosted this season with eye-catching performances for Porto, particularly in the Champions League group stage. He has solidified his status as Portugal’s No 1 goalkeeper, and statistics suggest only one player has performed better between the sticks among the quarter-finalists in Qatar.
The Netherlands’ Andries Noppert has made a staggering 15 saves throughout the tournament, followed by Costa and Croatia’s Dominik Livakovic’s nine. But the former has a stronger minutes-per-save ratio due to Livakovic’s involvement in extra-time as Croatia edged past Japan in the last 16.
After Costa extended his Porto contract earlier this year, United would likely have to meet his £65m release clause to secure his signature next summer. But they should take inspiration from Real, who captured Keylor Navas immediately after his stellar role in Costa Rica’s run to the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals.
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