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David de Gea’s future continues to be shrouded in mystery after he was left out of Manchester United’s retained list for the 2023/24 season and now a shock move for AC Milan’s Mike Maignan could be in the works.
Calciomercato have reported that the Rossoneri are prepared to quote a world-record fee should United come after the Frenchman in case De Gea ends up moving to Saudi Arabia.
The figure being quoted which is north of £90 million would be a world record for any goalkeeper in football history. The current record is held by Kepa Arrizabalaga who moved to Chelsea for £71.6 million in 2018.
The 27-year-old has turned into one of the best goalkeepers in the world at Milan. Joining from Lille in 2021, he was a crucial member of the side that won the Serie A title.
He is well-known for his distribution skills and ability with the ball at his feet, which makes him a perfect fit for Erik ten Hag’s system.
Talks with De Gea have been going on for a while over renewed terms but the prospect of him signing a fresh deal are diminishing.
Erik ten Hag, who had previously been unequivocal in his praise for the Spaniard, changed his tune after the FA Cup final loss to Manchester City.
Since then, reports of an offer from Saudi Arabia have surfaced while United’s links to other goalkeepers have come to the fore as well.
So far, the likes of Andre Onana, Diogo Costa, and David Raya have been the three most discussed names.
Maignan is a proven commodity at the top level with a well-rounded game of being an elite shot-stopper and a fantastic ball player.
The major stumbling block will be the transfer fee. United are mired in FFP difficulties this summer and will be looking to sell to supplement their transfer budget.
Diogo Costa’s fee is proving to be a stumbling block due to the same reason.
Even Andre Onana would be a costly move as he has been at Inter for only one season.
David Raya, on the other hand, has agreed personal terms with Tottenham Hotspur.
Therefore, while the prospect of Maignan bossing the goal at Old Trafford is undoubtedly mouth-watering, these reports should be taken with a pinch of salt.
United are reticent about spending £70 million on Diogo Costa which makes it unlikely that they break the bank for Maignan, especially with other positions needing reinforcements with more urgency.
