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It looks set to be a big summer at Old Trafford under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
It was a roller-coaster of a season at Manchester United. Having started the season with uncertainty at the club following Jose Mourinho’s disappointment over the failure to bring in a centre back, United picked up some inconsistent results in the first half of the season.
Eventually, it became one too many poor results for Mourinho, and after a 3-1 home defeat to Liverpool, he was sacked. In his place, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed as caretaker manager until the end of the season, leaving his job at Molde to take the job at Old Trafford.
Solskjaer made a good start, and was given the job permanently after an impressive result to beat PSG in the Champions League round of 16. Things turned sour however towards the end of the season, as they were knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona, and finished sixth in the Premier League after a series of poor performances and results.
One issue for United at the end of the season was the form of David de Gea, who was considered the best goalkeeper in the world when the season began. He made a number of high profile errors in the final weeks of the season, and was at fault for goals conceded against Manchester City, Barcelona, and Chelsea.
Because of this, and the fact he has only one year left on his United contract, there are rumours that de Gea could leave Manchester this summer, with PSG touted as a possible destination.
This would mean United have to replace him this summer, as Solskjaer will want a top goalkeeper in place when the season gets underway. Here are five men who could replace de Gea this summer.
#1 Keylor Navas (Real Madrid)
After five years at the Bernabeu, Navas seems set to leave Real Madrid. Despite coming into favour again towards the end of the season after Zinedine Zidane returned as Real manager, Navas looks to be surplus to requirements, and has been told that he can look for another club.
At 32, Navas may just be past his best, but he has enjoyed an awful lot of success during his time at Real Madrid. He has won the Champions League on three occasions, and was named the Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season for the 2017/18 season. In Navas, United would be signing someone with experience at the top level of European football, and a lot of quality. He may also be a cheaper option for the Red Devils, allowing them to spend more in other areas.
#2 Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan)
If United are looking for the long term replacement for de Gea, then the man for them may be Donnarumma. The Italian stopper is still only 20 years of age, but has already proved himself as a top goalkeeper at the highest level. He has been Milan’s number one since the age of 16, and already has 142 Serie A appearances to his name, keeping 46 clean sheets during that period.
Although that number may not be as impressive as some of the other goalkeepers United have on their radar, he is playing in one of the poorer Milan sides we have seen in recent decades. United would be taking the risk of signing someone without Premier League experience, a league much more physical than Serie A. He may not be particularly cheap, but with Milan needing to sell to comply with Financial Fair Play rules, they may be prepared to do a deal.
#3 Jasper Cillessen (Barcelona)
Another goalkeeper who it may be easier for United to move for this summer is Barcelona’s Jasper Cillessen. The Dutchman joined the Catalan giants in 2016, but because of the impressive performances of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, he has seen his opportunities limited at the Nou Camp. In his three years in Spain, he has played just five times in LaLiga, with a further 24 appearances coming in the Copa Del Rey. As a result, it seems almost inevitable that he will leave this summer, as he also looks to retain his spot in the Netherlands side.
He may not quite be to the world class standard that United are looking for, but because of their failure to secure Champions League football, it may be harder for them to attract the best players. Cillessen may only be capable of being a short term option, but signing him would be quite a shrewd piece of business.
#4 Andre Onana (Ajax)
It looks like being a mass exodus at Ajax this summer after their impressive run to the Champions League semi-final. Frenkie de Jong has already completed a move to Barcelona, and Matthijs de Ligt could soon follow, while there has also been interest in David Neres, Hakim Ziyech and Donny van de Beek. Another man who could be headed to the exit is Andre Onana, who had another strong season in the Ajax goal.
The 23-year-old Cameroonian ‘keeper, who came through the Barcelona academy, signed for Ajax in 2015, and has appeared 98 times in the Eredivisie since. He has kept 32 clean sheets in that time, and helped his side win the Eredivisie last season for the first time since 2014. He may not be the obvious choice for United, but he has proved himself to be an excellent goalkeeper at Ajax. He may not come cheap though, as the Dutch side have already proved themselves to be tough negotiators.
#5 Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)
If United are looking to bring in the best goalkeeper currently on the market, then Oblak would be their man. The Slovenian has shown at Atletico that he has a claim to be one of, if not the, best goalkeepers in the world. His record since becoming the Spanish giants’ number one is quite extraordinary. Since the start of the 2015/16 season, he has made 142 LaLiga appearances, keeping a quite extraordinary 81 clean sheets, conceding only 82 goals.
For United, he would be a brilliant signing. Defensively, they have been a bit of shambles over the last few years, and they may need someone very reliable behind them, and Oblak is certainly that. He would not come cheap though, and would likely break the record for a goalkeeper set by Chelsea when they signed Kepa Arizzabalaga for £72 million last summer. However, if United sell de Gea, they know they will need a world class ‘keeper to replace him, and Oblak certainly fits the bill.
