No De Gea, no problem – Man Utd would not face a goalkeeping crisis if they sign this £22m-rated star

Man United Opinion: Jasper Cillessen would be an ideal replacement for de Gea

According to Metro, Man United have set their sights on Barcelona’s No.2 Jasper Cillessen in a bid to replace David de Gea, who is out of contract in 2020.

Metro claims that the Red Devils are likely to allow de Gea to leave in the summer following a contract stand-off with his representatives, with the Spaniard demanding wages of around £400,000-a-week, which would see him attain parity with the club’s top-earner Alexis Sanchez.

That, however, hasn’t gone down well with United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, who has made it clear that such a hike in wages is impossible. (h/t Metro)

United have triggered an optional 12-month extension in de Gea’s contract but they still face the risk of losing him for next to nothing in a year’s time.

That has prompted the Red Devils to consider selling their star shot-stopper this summer, with PSG, Juventus and long-standing suitors all interested in securing the services of the 28-year-old. (h/t Metro)

De Gea has arguably been United’s most consistent performer over the past four seasons but the Spaniard hasn’t quite been his reliable self between the sticks this term.

He came under scrutiny for some high-profile and uncharacteristic errors, especially in the latter stages of the campaign and it would be fair to say that de Gea has arguably had his worst season in English football this term.

As per statistics, he committed 4 major errors that led to goals in the Premier League, while he was also culpable for the goals against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. De Gea continues to be a world-class shot-stopper but it looks more and more likely that his time at Old Trafford is nearing its end.

To put things into perspective, Man United need to make a decision on his future soon enough and selling him would be the best possible thing for the club and the player. He probably needs a change and should he leave this summer, United would need to dip into the transfer window to find a suitable alternative.

Jasper Cillessen, though not as highly-rated as de Gea, is one of the best goalkeepers around in Europe and the Dutchman would certainly be an upgrade on the likes of Sergio Romero and Lee Grant at Old Trafford.

Cillessen has established himself as The Netherlands’ undisputed No.1 over the years but he hasn’t had the same luck at Barcelona. In fact, the 30-year-old has made only 30 appearances for the La Liga giants in all competitions since making a move to the Camp Nou from Ajax back in 2016.

Having started just 4 games in the La Liga over the course of three seasons, it is now for him to move elsewhere and restart his career.

Cillessen in not only a very reliable shot-stopper but he is equally good with his handling and decision-making between the sticks, while also boasting of high levels of concentration and composure.

The 48-cap Dutch international has a wonderful career record, having managed 96 clean sheets from 224 career appearances for all clubs in all competitions combined.

Metro understands that Barcelona would be happy to part ways with Cillessen if United meet their £22 million valuation of the player. De Gea’s departure would be a big loss for United but Cillessen could be the ideal man to fill in the Spaniard’s boots at Old Trafford.

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United made a bright start to life under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but things went horribly wrong for the Red Devils towards the end of the season, as they ended the campaign with a disappointing run of results which included a 2-0 defeat at the hands of relegated Cardiff City.

They need to bring in some new faces this summer to freshen up things and the acquisition of Jasper Cillessen’s should certainly help their cause.