Manchester United have eyed two goalkeeper alternatives should Erik ten Hag desire a new number one.
Against Newcastle United on October 16, David de Gea marked his 500th appearance as a red. He is one of two remaining players at the club to have played under Sir Alex Ferguson, the other being Cristiano Ronaldo.
There was a period of time when the Spaniard was regarded as the best goalkeeper in world football, however, his form has fluctuated in recent years. De Gea is also no longer Spain’s first choice in between the sticks.
His contract in Manchester is set to expire in the summer but includes the option of triggering an added year. According to The Athletic, Ten Hag is yet to make a concrete decision on De Gea’s future but is currently considering starting negotiations on extending his deal on significantly lower wages, as the 31-year-old is among the highest earners at the club.
Ten Hag looks for De Gea alternatives
The Athletic have also reported that should Ten Hag want a fresh face between the posts next season, they have begun searching for suitable candidates.
Porto’s Diogo Costa is an option, as well as Athletic Bilbao’s Unai Simon. The two are younger and have experience on some of football’s biggest stages; Costa has just progressed to the Champions League knockout stages with his club and Simon represented Spain at the Euro 2020 tournament.