Gossip: Manchester United 'to replace De Gea with Pickford'
Manchester United are preparing for life without David de Gea. The Spanish international has been stalling on a contract that looked to have been agreed in June, but as United have suffered on the pitch, De Gea has started to consider his future elsewhere.
One of the sides that are monitoring the situation is Juventus. They are known for keeping an eye on potential bargains, and De Gea could be free to move on at the end of next season. The Italian champions could be ready to wait if necessary, but United might choose to cash in on the player.
Jose Mourinho’s club could choose to extend De Gea’s contract for 12 months to preserve his resale value to some degree, and then sell him in the summer. That would force Juventus to compete with any side that were ready to step in with a bid.
United have already chosen their replacement should they lose the Spanish international. Everton and England international Jordan Pickford is now the undisputed number one for both club and country, and his improvement over the last year has impressed scouts. Added to that is Pickford’s impressive resilience under pressure in the World Cup in Russia last summer.
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A fee of £60 million is mentioned by the Sun for the 24 year old, which would likely be the sum received if De Gea is sold somewhere close to his full value.
The Mail also report that Eric Bailly is wanted by Paris Saint-Germain, joining Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur who have already been turned down when they expressed their own interest in the summer. Mourinho wants to keep hold of the 24 year old as Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones struggle for fitness.
City win race for De Jong
Across Manchester, Premier League champions Manchester City are reported to have won the race for Ajax midfielder Frenkie de Jong. The 21 year old is wanted by both Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur according to the Mirror, and has been linked to Manchester United in the past.
The paper believes that City are close to agreeing a £61 million deal with Ajax to win the race, with Pep Guardiola keen to add midfielders to his side. De Jong is seen as a potential replacement for Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho, who will be 34 at the end of the season. The youngster’s ability to receive and release the ball quickly under pressure fits in with Guardiola’s approach to the game, and could establish himself at the club for the best part of a decade.
Liverpool target Demirbay
The Mirror also report that Matthijs de Ligt was a target for Liverpool, but they are resigned to missing out on the young defender. They believe that he is now bound for a £60 million move to Barcelona, but the Mail suggests that they do have plans for one signing this January.
25-year-old Kerem Demirbay was at Borussia Dortmund’s youth sides when Jurgen Klopp was at the club as manager, and has emerged as a promising midfielder at Hoffenheim. Liverpool want to strengthen their squad ahead of a push for Champions League and Premier League success, and is now on the fringes of the German international team.
