Manchester United are yet to make an inbound or outbound move this January transfer window, and when they do sign someone, it will most likely be a forward.
“We are looking for offensive players,” United manager Erik ten Hag said a couple days ago. “We are looking for a striker. We are always in the market but it has to match the sporting criteria — also the financial criteria.”
“We do what we can to bring in the players we need.”
United need to fill in the gap left by the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, and they had been targeting PSV Eindhoven’s Cody Gakpo, but the Dutch winger went to Liverpool instead.
It may or may not have been the best fit, as he plays more on the flank, not in a central role. So who does United turn to now?
Hard to say, as they really haven’t been strongly linked with any forward targets.
So we’ll focus on goalkeepers for this post instead. For the current No. 1, David de Gea, his deal is set to expire at the end of the season, but the club do have an option to extend it one more year.
It had been reported, previously, he was set to leave for free in the summer, but the reality is, his future is just uncertain. The 32-year-old Madrid native said he expects to stay.
“I’m very relaxed,” De Gea said after yesterday’s resounding 3-0 win over Bournemouth yesterday.
“I’m just focused on training, perform as best as I can. But, for sure, it’s going to end in a good way.”
According to reports, the club are looking at signing a long-term extension for De Gea, who has been with the club since 2011.
Next we move on the situation behind De Gea. Martin Dubravka has been recalled by Newcastle United from his loan, which means that Tom Heaton is the only back-up currently on the roster.
That could change soon though, according to The Telegraph, who report that Jack Butland, 29, is in talks about moving over to Old Trafford. Butland is currently the back-up goalkeeper at Crystal Palace, so if he gets the chance to move over to United, what an upwardly mobile career move that is!
Butland, an England international who was in contention for the No.1 gig during the 2018 World Cup cycle (before getting injured and then falling out of the picture), would then become the Red Devils cup competition goalkeeper.
He currently has six months left on his contract at Palace, where he is behind Vicente Guaita on the depth chart.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.