Sir Alex keen on bringing top notch goalie to Old Trafford.

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Gianluigi Buffon Italy 2008/09

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Italian international keeper Gianluigi Buffon.

The Juventus stopper admitted earlier in the week that he was ready to leave Juventus, and Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is now reportedly ready to make his move for the highly-rated keeper.

31-year-old Buffon is regarded as a veteran in European football, representing the bianconeri for almost a decade in Serie A and the Champions League.

Recognised as one of the all-time great goalkeepers, Buffon was the Italian number one for the World Cup winning side in 2006 and has made 100 appearances for the Azzurri.

At club level, Buffon made over 150 appearances for Parma between 1995 and 2001, helping the Gialloblu to a UEFA Cup, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana treble in 1999. Two years later, a €51.5 million transfer to the Stadio Olimpico made Buffon the most expensive stopper in the world.

Over 250 appearances later, and Buffon may finally be ready to leave Italy after a recent dismal run left Juventus languishing behind Inter and AC Milan in the race for the title.

“Always on the counter attack…that’s enough, I cannot take it anymore,” said Buffon after the recent defeat to Roma. (Give Me Football – Official PFA Website)

Its not secret that Sir Alex Ferguson is not particular confident in his current crop of potential long term replacements for Edwin Van der Sar and a day hasn’t passed without the Manchester United boss being linked to a top notch keeper of some description and it seems that the name now on most peoples lips is Gianluigi Buffon.

Now its surprising that the hugely experienced Italian international is still just 31 as it appears that he has been around for an age and now he seems to have had enough of watching Juventus hit the self destruct button and could well be keen on a new challenge having played out his entire career in Serie A and would surely be interested in a move to the Premier League champions.

Ben Foster, and to a lesser extent Thomas Kuszczak, have fallen well short of the standard that Sir Alex is looking for from his keeper and neither appears to have what it takes to forge out a meaningful career at Old Trafford so it does seem likely that sooner rather than later someone will be drafted in and perhaps the likelihood of Buffon in a United shirt is not so far from becoming a reality.

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