Sommer v Costa: World Cup audition for Man Utd's next No. 1

Karan Tejwani

• 6 Dec 2022 09:25 GMT
• 3 min read

Portugal take on Switzerland in the last 16 of the World Cup hoping to earn a quarter-final berth and it’s a tie Manchester United will be keeping a keen eye on.

Apart from their players like Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot participating in it, they will see it as an opportunity to scout their potential future number one.

Portugal’s starting goalkeeper will be Diogo Costa, who has had a positive World Cup campaign despite a shaky start and Switzerland’s first choice will be Yann Sommer.

READ: Diogo Costa nearly cost himself a move to Man Utd or Chelsea

And while David de Gea is in Spain training with Manchester United, his successor could be determined in this World Cup clash in Qatar.

Man Utd's goalkeeper audition

Costa has been Portugal’s number one for the best part of 2022 having done well at Porto, becoming a star for them both domestically and in Europe.

Manchester United have been scouting him repeatedly this season and will have been impressed by what they have seen, as Costa’s shot-stopping, sweeping and distribution is just what manager Erik ten Hag likes.

READ: Unai Simon to replace De Gea at Man Utd: What is the latest?

He’s also got a great penalty record to match it, saving three spot kicks in Porto’s Champions League run as he spurred them on to knockout stage qualification.

Sommer, meanwhile, is the more experienced head and the 34-year-old is in the final months of his contract with German side Borussia Monchengladbach.

The Swiss goalkeeper has been linked with a move to Manchester United in the past but didn’t want to play second fiddle to De Gea, however, matters may be different now.

He has done well at the World Cup so far, despite missing Switzerland’s decisive group stage game against Serbia through illness, however, he is expected to return for the Portugal clash.

There is a major difference between the two: Costa will be a long-term solution to Manchester United’s problems, given his young age, while Sommer is approaching the final years of his career.

Additionally, Manchester United will have to pay big to get Costa – potentially his €75 million release clause, while Sommer will be free next year.

Who Manchester United go for remains to be seen, but we could learn plenty from when Portugal meet Switzerland at the World Cup and which of the two goalkeepers perform better on the night.