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We are into March 2019 and David de Gea's future at Manchester United is still uncertain. The Spaniard’s contract will expire in a few months and no breakthrough has been made in negotiations with his club so far. United's revival under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has not changed the situation much or dampen speculations, with the head coach stating "that the matter is out of his hands."
The goalkeeper has been arguably United's best player over the last few years. He has won the club's player of the year award in four of the last five season. His importance to the side was visible in this season's league matches against top-four rivals Tottenham and Arsenal. If De Gea was to leave, United will have an extremely hard time replacing him.
However, several high-profile players are still viable options to replace the Spaniard. Let us take a look at three goalkeepers United could look to sign.
#3 Marc-Andre Ter Stegen
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is probably the closest players to De Gea in terms of quality in European football at the moment. The German is Barcelona's number one for years now and is used to the pressure that one will face at Manchester United. The 26 years-old showcased his goalkeeping prowess in Copa del Rey against Real Madrid, where he made four saves and kept a clean sheet.
A recent report states that Manchester United could fork as much as £70 million to land the Barcelona shot-stopper. Despite the huge fees, the German international is a proven player and will be worth every penny.
As a player with a Barcelona DNA, he has completed significantly more amount of passes than De Gea. He averages 83.4 % pass completion rate this season compared to the Spaniard's 63.5%. Ter Stegen's excellent ball distribution skills could help United to build attacks from the back.
#2 Keylor Navas
Keylor Navas is one of the most underrated goalkeepers in Europe at the moment. The Real Madrid faithful consider him as a hero because of his performances in past seasons. He was a key player in Zinedine Zidane's time at the club and helped the Las Blancos win the Champions League for three consecutive seasons.
The Costa Rican was set to join the Red Devils in 2015 in an exchange deal for De Gea before the infamous fax machine incident scuppered the deal. With Thibaut Courtois's arrival in Madrid, Navas will once again want a move in the summer.
While the 32-year-old will only serve as a short-term solution, the Madrid player's winning mentality will help United's search for major silverware next season. He is also someone who will be available for a lower price than other options.
#1 Jordan Pickford
Jordan Pickford is perhaps the best goalkeeping talent available in the Premier League at the moment. Everton made no mistake when they decided to fork €28.5 million for the Englishman two years ago. Pickford has been impressive since he became a regular at Sunderland and known for his excellent penalty and shot saving skills.
The 24-year-old had was a standout performer for England at the World Cup. Many reports have touted the Everton goalkeeper as a long-term replacement for De Gea. While he has made the fewer amount of saves on average than the Spaniard this season, Pickford has a lot of scope to improve as he is yet to hit his prime.
