David de Gea has been a beacon of consistency for so many years at Old Trafford, but his concerning recent form and question marks over his suitability to Erik ten Hag’s possession-heavy system have cast a light on his future.
After 12 years, a Premier League title, a record four Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year awards and over 530 appearances for Man Utd, De Gea’s career in the North West appears uncertain, with his contract set to expire at the end of this current campaign.
The Spaniard currently leads the Premier League Golden Glove race with 14 clean sheets to his name, but that has not prevented him being the subject of criticism in recent weeks, particularly after an error-laden showing against Sevilla in the Europa League.
Renowned more for his shot-stopping capabilities, reflex saves and command of one-v-one situations, some have critiqued De Gea’s ball-playing credentials (including his first touch and distribution) as well as his overall ‘presence’ in the box, particularly with high claims.
Although the fundamental of any goalkeeper is simply to prevent the ball rippling the back of the net, being proficient in possession has become a key tenet of the modern No. 1 blueprint, and De Gea certainly falls short in that department.
So, if Ten Hag is going to look for a more commanding goalkeeper with technical stardust in his feet, where could he turn to? We’ve put together four candidates.
- To qualify for the Champions League – 1/10
- To win the FA Cup – 12/5
- To sign Jordan Pickford from Everton before September 23rd 2023 – 8/1
Dream: Andre Onana
How about rekindling an old romance?
Ten Hag tried to make that happen in the summer with Frenkie de Jong, but his compatriot left him unread. He could now turn to another former Ajax star in Andre Onana.
The dextrous Cameroonian was his No. 1 during Ajax’s now-famous run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2018/19. Not only was he nigh-on impervious between the sticks, but his slick distribution and confident feet often instigated attacking moves for the Dutch club.
He has since taken those exploits to the San Siro with Inter and has once again proven why he is so well regarded across the continent. A 71.88% save percentage is the fifth-best in Serie A this term, while his 77.95% passing accuracy is the second-highest (at least 20 appearances).
That marriage of elite shot-stopping and fluid distribution is the perfect remedy for Ten Hag’s in-goal issues. And having previously worked with Onana, he will know exactly how to handle the 27-year-old’s personality.
His 14 high claims (11th-most in Serie A) may seem a tad low, but that is probably attributed to the fact Inter dominate so many games domestically. In the Champions League, for example, Onana is the only goalkeeper to register high claims in the double digits (12).
That’s the sort of ‘presence’ Man Utd fans crave.
His 80.39% save rate is also the third-highest in the competition this term for ‘keepers with at least six appearances (essentially every group game, for a fair reflection), with only Ederson (84.21%) and Thibaut Courtois (84.62%) boasting better totals. Onana has also prevented the second-most goals (3.9).
A command of his area, proficiency with his feet and exceptional when it comes to saving, Onana would be an ideal candidate for Ten Hag.
Realistic: Diogo Costa
Portugal’s now starting goalkeeper, Diogo Costa was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford last summer, and those rumours are only likely to intensify as the weeks pass and De Gea doesn’t put pen to paper on a new deal.
At 23, Costa could follow a similar career trajectory to his Spanish counterpart if he were to join Man Utd. Goalkeepers tend to peak later into their careers, so the Red Devils could have another long-term No. 1 if they were to splash on someone of Costa’s precocious qualities.
Similar to Onana, Porto’s burgeoning artisan appears to fit the Ten Hag blueprint. Costa is second only to Onana for high claims in the Champions League this season (nine) and has a commendable 79.49% save rate in the competition, underlining his confidence when a forward is bearing down on his net.
In the Portuguese top flight, his 48.35% long pass accuracy is bettered only by Benfica shot-stopper Odysseas Vlachodimos (48.39%) among ‘keepers with at least 20 appearances, while his 75.15 pass accuracy is the third-best by those same parameters.
There’s a reason Ten Hag was supposedly courting him last summer.
Wildcard: Bart Verbruggen
Anderlecht worked wonders to reach the Europa Conference League quarter-finals after beating Villarreal in the last 16. That triumph came courtesy of a 1-0 win at the Estadio de la Ceramica in the second leg, with 20-year-old shot-stopper Bart Verbruggen keeping a clean sheet against the Spanish club.
They would then beat AZ 2-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final clash, again with Verbruggen keeping a lid on the Dutch club’s attack, before falling on penalties in the return fixture. Although a disappointing exit for the Les Mauves et Blancs, their European campaign thrust Verbruggen’s name into the limelight.
As such, he is now being linked with a move to the Premier League, with Belgian daily Het Laatste Nieuws suggesting Ten Hag is keeping tabs on his compatriot in Brussels. Such has been the 20-year-old’s meteoric recent rise that even Liverpool are among the high-tier clubs reportedly tracking him.
A bit of a left-field alternative given his still tender years and his lack of experience in one of Europe’s top five leagues, but Ten Hag has shown a shrewd understanding of the market over the years, unearthing plenty of hidden gems during his time in Amsterdam — so he will certainly have a grasp on Verbruggen’s true ceiling.
Squawka Suggests: Yehvann Diouf
If Will Still has drawn credit for transforming the fortunes of Reims and establishing his status as one of the most promising up-and-coming tacticians, then he has Yehvann Diouf to thank for a lot of his early success.
The 23-year-old is one of the leading goalkeepers in Europe’s top five leagues this season and being able to establish himself among the elite at such a young age for a goalkeeper is a testament to the fledgling wonder of his exploits.
To begin with, Diouf has prevented a whopping 6.9 goals in Ligue 1 this season, the most in the entire division, and has conceded just 20 goals, the fewest among any ‘keeper with at least 20 appearances (Diouf has made 25).
His 33 high claims is bettered only by Nantes’ Alban Lafont (36), despite playing six games fewer, with his 1.32 high claims per 90 minutes naturally the best in Ligue 1 this term (minimum 20 appearances).
By those same parameters, his 81.31% save rate places him as the best ‘keeper in Ligue 1, while his 48.39% long pass accuracy ranks him third. His general pass accuracy of 75.54% also has him down at number three, behind only Gianluigi Donnarumma (84.04%) and Kasper Schmeichel (75.56%).
In every respect, Diouf appears the perfect candidate for Ten Hag — and our statistical suggestion.