Manchester United Transfer Talk: David de Gea, Jan Oblak

International break provides the perfect opportunity to do some more Manchester United transfer talk. Sure the window just closed across most of Europe only last weekend, but it’s never too early to look ahead to the January, and even the next summer transfer window.

Especially now at this slowest of news times. In regards to Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, supposedly he agreed in principle to a new contract extension that would theoretically give him the captaincy, and a raise up to about half a million dollars per week.

If that narrative was legit, it doesn’t matter until De Gea puts pen to paper and he still has not signed any new contract extension. In less than four months, his agent will be able to speak with interested suitors and next year he’ll be available on a free.

According to the Daily Express, Juventus are keeping tabs on De Gea’s situation, and could convince the Spaniard to join up on a free in May should United be unable to get him locked up by January.

If De Gea bolts for the Serie A juggernaut, then United’s replacement could be shot stopper Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid. This is a transfer narrative that we have heard before.

Oblak is two years younger than De Gea, under contract through 2022-23, and supposedly worth more in the open transfer market. There are some that even believe him to be an upgrade over De Gea.

Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.