According to Metro, Man United have begun talks with Lille to negotiate a deal for goalkeeper Mike Maignan, as the search for a replacement for David de Gea continues at Old Trafford.
Metro understands that United are likely to cash in on de Gea this summer, with only 12 months remaining on the Spaniard’s contract. The Red Devils are reluctant to meet the 28-year-old’s sky-high wage demands and talks over a new deal between the club and the player have failed to reach a positive conclusion.
Maignan, though, is not the only shot-stopper to have been linked with a move to Man United. The Metro claims that the Red Devils have also shown an interest in Barcelona’s No.2 Jasper Cillessen but they are unlikely to trigger the Dutchman’s £53 million release clause.
United have also had an offer rejected from Ajax for Cameroonian goalkeeper Andre Onana, which is probably the reason why the Red Devils are keen to look at alternatives. (h/t Metro)
Lille’s standout performer between the sticks Mike Maignan has been identified as a possible replacement for de Gea, although it remains to be seen whether United go ahead with the deal and meet the Ligue 1 outfit’s £31 million valuation of the 23-year-old.
Maignan caught the eye with his consistently impressive performances between the sticks this season and was one of key driving forces behind Lille’s second-place finish in Ligue 1.
The 23-year-old Frenchman registered as many as 17 clean sheets in 42 appearances in all competitions and was named as the best goalkeeper in Ligue 1 this past season for his heroics between the sticks.
The 23-year-old played for Paris Saint Germain in the youth ranks before joining Lille back in 2015. He struggled to dislodge Nigerian veteran Vincent Enyeama between the sticks in his initial days at the club and mostly warmed the benches before taking up the No.1 role at the start of the 2017-18 season.
Maignan has made a total of 95 appearances for Lille in all competitions till date, registering 29 clean sheets in the process. A regular for France at all youth levels upto U-21, the 23-year-old’ stellar run of form has earned him a first senior international call-up for his nation’s Euro 2020 qualifiers against Turkey and Andorra this month.
Standing at 6ft. 3 inches, the Frenchman has shown strong signs of excellence very early in his career and it is not difficult to see why Man United are keen to bring him to the Premier League. Maignan has earned rave reviews for his agility, athleticism and shot-stopping abilities, whilst also catching the eye with his calmness and composure between the sticks.
Maignan registered a total of 92 saves in Ligue 1 this term, 56 of which came from inside the penalty area, including 4 from inside the six-yard box. He averaged 2.5 saves per game and his shot-saved percentage of 74 would make even the best of shot-stoppers proud.
It is pretty clear that de Gea is not going to sign a new deal and Man United would be foolish to allow him to walk away on a free transfer next summer. They should look to land a sizeable profit and invest a part of that amount to bring in a new goalkeeper.
Moreover, de Gea came under criticism for some high-profile uncharacteristic errors this past season and the Red Devils need to come to terms with reality and move on.
To Read More Man United News, Click Here:- Latest Man United News
Maignan looks like a real talent at this point of his career and United should bring him in to compete with Sergio Romero for the No.1 role. The Frenchman,23, could go on to become a faithful long-term servant at Old Trafford and, that said, they should not hesitate to splash the cash on him this summer.