Manchester United line up transfer bid for Dundee United goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist as cover for David de Gea
According to The Sun, Manchester United are considering making a transfer bid in the summer for Dundee United goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist, who are looking for cover for their current No.1 David de Gea.
de Gea has been firmly established as the club’s primary goalkeeper and has been since his move to United in 2011. A decade on, the Spaniard is still on top of his game, with his insane reflexes and shot-stopping skills protecting the team’s net.
Despite, this the club is looking at providing him more cover at the back, looking at options outside Manchester. Siegrist seems to have been identified as a potential option, with the Red Devils’ keeper scout Tony Coton watching the player in action against Celtic.
Apart from de Gea, the Manchester side also has Tottenham Hotspur-linked Dean Henderson, Lee Grant, and Tom Heaton in their goalkeeping department. However, with Grant out of contract at the end of the season, and Henderson’s future up in the air due to a lack of game time, we might need cover at the back.
Alternative options for United
Siegrist is a free agent in the summer, and the Old Trafford side is eyeing him as a replacement for de Gea if the club fails to land their first choice target Sam Johnstone from West Brom. Johnstone is out of contract at the end of the season as well, but it remains to be seen if the former United man returns to the club.
Meanwhile, Coton has been keeping track of Siegrist, with the keeper scout familiar with the Swiss goalkeeper from their time together at Aston Villa. The 30-year-old was known to be a late developer at the Villans.
The Spain international is in top form at the moment and does not look like he is ready to give up his spot in the team. At 31, the player has years ahead of him as a first-choice keeper, and if he keeps up his current form, there may not be anyone to provide him close competition.
Henderson looked closest to knocking him out of the top spot last season when de Gea went through a rough patch of form, but the Englishman was not able to sustain his form this term. Now that the academy product is seeking a move elsewhere, de Gea looks set to continue beyond the summer.
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At this stage, United are only looking at cover for their Spanish number 1 and not replacements. They seem to trust de Gea to see them through his current deal, and given the purple patch he is in at the moment, it looks like a wise call.
Siegrist is not a well-known name, nor does he have Premier League experience, but he could probably do the job as de Gea’s cover. The Swiss keeper may not likely make any appearances for the Red Devils, so it remains to be seen if he takes up a formal offer from the club to join them in the summer.
