Erik ten Hag is reportedly ready to make Everton’s Jordan Pickford a priority signing for Man United should the Red Devils fail to tie David de Gea down to a new deal.
That is according to the Mirror, who reports that the England goalkeeper is Ten Hag’s choice should the Manchester club fail to get De Gea’s new deal over the line.
The Spanish goalkeeper has been in talks with United over a new deal for some time and it was reported this week by the Telegraph that a deal has been agreed but not yet signed.
It is unlikely that anything will go wrong at this stage but should that happen, Ten Hag wants Pickford.
The Telegraph states that even if De Gea signs a new deal, the 32-year-old will not necessarily be Man United’s first choice next season.
The Spaniard has come under a lot of scrutiny this season for the mistakes he has made and many United fans want to see their club sign a new shot-stopper in the summer.
Pickford is a surprise choice but if Everton get relegated, it could be a cheap option for the Manchester club – who also want to sign a world-class striker during the next transfer window.
United are also said to be interested in Anderlecht goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, whose stock has rose in recent months with a call-up to the Netherlands squad.
The 20-year-old lacks the experience of Pickford, yet the prospect played his part in helping Anderlecht reach the quarter-finals of this season’s Europa Conference League.
United are unlikely to make any final decision on their goalkeeping situation until they have determined whether they will feature in next season’s Champions League, Ten Hag’s side coming under pressure from Liverpool who are now within a point of fourth spot in the Premier League table.
