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Manchester United Offer David De Gea In Exchange For No 1 Goalkeeper Target

Manchester United Offer David De Gea In Exchange For No 1 Goalkeeper Target

Can Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side pull this one off?

Alex Reid

Alex Reid

Manchester United are preparing an audacious summer bid for their top goalkeeper target and are willing to use their current No 1 David de Gea in part exchange.

Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak, widely regarded as the world's best keeper, is the reported target for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side. The plan would be to offer a fee plus De Gea, who made his name at Atletico after coming through the youth system, in part exchange.

Oblak is only two years younger than the 30-year-old De Gea, but the Slovenian has been a vital part of Atleti's success since he arrived in La Liga in 2014.

Meanwhile Man United have faced a difficult situation with their keepers this season, as both academy graduate Dean Henderson and Spain international De Gea have been first-choice at different points of the campaign.

De Gea is rumoured to be on his way out this summer, with many claiming pre-match that the Europa League cup final against Villarreal (where he unfortunately conceded 11 shootout penalties before seeing his own spot-kick saved) could be his last game for United.

But with doubts that 24-year-old Henderson is ready to be a first-choice Man United keeper, a summer bid is now planned for Oblak, according to Sun Sport.

The estimated value of Oblak is £70 million but offering De Gea as a makeweight would clearly bring that total fee down.

Stumbling blocks could prove to be Dea Gea's wages, a reported £375,000 per week, and whether Atletico would be willing to come close to matching that for a talented goalkeeper who has struggled for consistency in recent years. Especially, some might add, when they already have the world's best keeper on their books.

If Oblak is keen for a new challenge, perhaps that tips a move more into United's favour.

But if De Gea's last act as a United player is that disastrous shootout, where he failed to save the penalties of the entire Villarreal team, it would be a sad note for the four-time Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year winner to go out on.

All imagery: PA Images

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Topics: David De Gea, Jan Oblak, Manchester United, Premier League