The end of Edwin
The big Dutch stopper had denied reports that he was set to retire, early in the season but it seems now that the end is nigh.
Although Van Der Sar’s form has showed very little sign of dipping, he turned 40 last month and his wife spend most of her time in Holland, getting treatment after a serious brain injury last year (thankfully she seems to be OK now).
Replacing the man between the sticks has cost us in the past, so this time we need to get it right. Of course we have signed Danish international Anders Lindegaard, who does look promising from what I have seen. However I believe we’ve signed Lindegaard because he might, rather than will, be a star. The gaffer himself said the “goalkeeping situation isn’t finalised.”
I am glad to hear this because we don’t really know how good Lindegaard will be and although Ben Amos has a lot of potential, he is very young, and Kuszczak still hasn’t convinced us of his credentials to be United’s number one.
We have been linked with most, if not all of Europe’s best young goalkeepers. Hugo Lloris, although a good shot stopper, gave one of the worst performances I have ever seen from a goalkeeper in a recent Champions League group game, so I would hope we don’t go for him.
For me, the best option would be Atletico Madris’s David de Gea. He is the right side of 21, which is extremely young for a goalkeeper and is already proving his ability in Spain with a string of good performances against the likes of Barca and Real Madrid. His ages means two things though, one is he will only get better, the other is that his price will be increased, in an already inflated market.
There is also Germany’s impressive youngster Manuel Neuer and Igor Akinfeev from Russia. Both are possibly cheaper alternatives to De Gea. Whoever we bring in, let’s hope Fergie gets this one right sooner rather than later!