The five options to be Man Utd No.1 goalkeeper next season

FT Desk

• 29 Sept 2022 08:15 BST
• 4 min read

David de Gea's future at Manchester United looks to be uncertain. Who will be the Red Devils' No.1 goalkeeper next season? Football Transfers ranks the likely candidates.

De Gea deserves immense credit for the job he has done at Man Utd over the years. A shot-stopping extraordinaire in his prime, the Spaniard has made the PFA Team of the Year five times since his €21 million arrival from Atletico Madrid in 2011.

But there could be competition for his place going forward, with Erik ten Hag looking to instil his playing philosophy from front to back at Old Trafford. Who will line up between the posts next term?

1) Jan Oblak

Jan Oblak looks to be United's primary target in goal. Ten Hag is a fan of the Slovenian shot-stopper, and he could be available for less than the €42 million he is rated at by Football Transfers in-house algorithm with Atletico working hard to balance their books.

Oblak has kept two clean sheets in five La Liga games so far this season and has previously spoken of his admiration for the Premier League. "The Premier League has strong teams, maybe the strongest," he told Guillem Balague last year.

2) Jordan Pickford

An option from closer to home, Jordan Pickford's nationality is part of his appeal, with the Everton and England shot-stopper counting as a homegrown player.

He is also one who could fit Ten Hag's philosophy more closely than even Oblak. Andre Onana was employed as a sweeper-keeper by the United manager at Ajax, and Pickford averages one defensive action outside the penalty area per game.

3) David de Gea

Of course, De Gea's Man Utd career isn't necessarily over. He may not be the most gifted goalkeeper with his feet, wit he has made 18 saves in six games with his hands, and ball-playing centre-back Lisandro Martinez isn't very far away for Ten Hag's style.

De Gea also fronted up when he cost United three points against Brentford in Game Week 2. "I want to take responsibility," he told Sky after asking to be interviewed. And he has, keeping his place for the recent four-game winning run that has included victories over Liverpool and Arsenal.

4) Dean Henderson

Another goalkeeper already on the books at United, Dean Henderson is currently out on loan at Nottingham Forest, for whom he has made 29 saves, including a penalty stop from Declan Rice when the promoted side beat West Ham in August.

Henderson was briefly Man Utd No.1 under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and described Ralf Rangnick's decision to reinstate De Gea as No.1 a "criminal." Ten Hag might make a different decision on the 25-year-old's return.

5) Yann Sommer

Something of an outside bet, but United sent their scouts to Germany recently to watch a cluster of goalkeepers, with Eintracht Frankfurt's Kevin Trapp publicly telling them 'no'.

But Sommer is the best goalkeeper in the Bundesliga not called Manuel Neuer, has saved 73 per cent of shots on goal in the last year and is thoroughly involved in the build-up play, averaging 51 touches per 90 minutes. He is also out of contract in the summer.