Martin Dubravka’s nervous performance for Manchester United in yesterday’s Carabao Cup victory over Burnley highlights the need for more than one safe pair of hands at Old Trafford.
United are reportedly currently negotiating a new, reduced contract for David de Gea to keep him at the club, but whether or not those negotiations are successful, another keeper is surely going to be required at the end of the season.
A name high on the list is reportedly Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Yann Sommer, whose contract at the Bundesliga side ends in June.
United were said to have tried for the 34 year old last summer but were rebuffed, hence turning to Dubravka instead.
Sommer was said to be concerned that he could lose his World Cup place in the Switzerland side if he was not playing regular football.
United had hoped to be back in for the international again next summer before it was reported that Bayern Munich were planning to swoop for him in January.
Regular goalkeeper Manuel Neuer broke his leg in a skiing accident just after Germany’s World Cup exit and so the Bavarians are in desperate need of a quality replacement.
This looked to have scuppered United’s chances of that free June move, but now Bild (via Sport Witness) is claiming that Bayern’s proposal may only be a very short term one.
“Bayern’s idea is to take Sommer in January and offer him a deal until the end of this season. This would let him ‘fulfil his dream’ of England and Manchester United in the summer,” Sport Witness summarizes.
“The goalkeeper has already had contact with both Erik ten Hag’s side and Bayern.
“Due to their difficult financial situation, Bild explain Gladbach can hardly refuse a multi-million offer, especially since the player’s contract expires in 2023.
“If Bayern end up signing Sommer on a short-term deal, then Manchester United can sign him for free next summer. Should Ten Hag’s side decide to move in for him in January, they could take get him for an affordable price of €5m.”
United have also been linked with a host of other keepers, including FC Porto’s Diogo Costa, Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez and Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak.
At 34, Sommer is the oldest option on the table, but he is also certainly the most affordable.
