David De Gea Replacements: Who could Man Utd choose as next number one?

After winning four Sir Matt Busby Player Of The Year awards in his 12 year stay at Old Trafford, David De Gea will undoubtedly go down as one of Manchester United's goalkeeping greats. The Spaniard has saved the Red Devils on countless occasions in this extended transition period they find themselves in since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement, with plenty of potential exits falling away at the eleventh hour.

There is a large number of United fans on social media calling for De Gea, on astronomical wages until June 30th, to be moved on in favour of a more modern goalkeeper with better distribution and command of his box. His loudest detractors have also pointed out his shot stopping prowess, once the best in the world, has deserted him. 

With the United number one looking almost certain not to be sticking around in Manchester, and potentially the Saudi Pro League beckoning, we've taken a look at four potential replacements Manchester United could put their faith in...

Andre Onana - Inter Milan - Rumoured fee of £50m

Erik ten Hag has of course got links to Onana after the pair enjoyed a successful but tumultuous time together in Amsterdam at Ajax. The duo won trophies aplenty as goalkeeper and manager, and there was no doubting ten Hag's adoration of Onana's fearlessness in terms of how far he is willing to push up the field as a keeper along with his excellent distribution. In the modern game, it is hard to find two goalkeepers with as different a profile as Onana and De Gea. United's incumbent looks terrified to venture outside of his six yard box, never mind his penalty area, and seems to lack presence to command his box when crosses come in. 

Onana is not a huge goalkeeper but makes himself heard and is certainly not short on confidence. His shot stopping is not at the level a prime De Gea could offer, but with year two of the ten Hag revolution fast approaching the Dutchman will be keen to emphasise his yearning for his goalkeeper to not be facing too many shots as his team look to dominate games and the ball. One firm clearly think Onana is the most likely man to be keeping goal at Old Trafford next season, with odds of just 4/7 being offered for a reunion with ten Hag.

Diogo Costa - Porto - Rumoured fee of £65m

A slightly more expensive option than Onana, who seems to be the most likely target, Diogo Costa would be another brilliant addition for Manchester United and ten Hag. Four years younger than Onana at 23, Costa could be the next De Gea for United in terms of signing a young goalkeeper to take on the number one mantle for the next decade or more. Already Portugal's first choice keeper, Costa looks very much in the Ederson / Allison model of an imposing goalkeeper who is comfortable passing the ball around with his defenders as well as charging out to make one on ones difficult for attackers.

At such a tender age Porto will not be willing to sell their prized asset for a bargain price, but United will be in desperate need of goalkeeping reinforcements should De Gea walk away for free as expected. The haphazard board appointed by the parasite Glazer family have hardly been prolific in the transfer market for United, with every signing who performs well seeming to be offset by a couple of mediocre buys for massively inflated prices. Costa, pardon the pun, looks a relatively safe pair of hands for the Red Devils to trust next up between the sticks and fans would surely be delighted to see a deal agreed.

David Raya - Brentford - Rumoured fee of £40m

The first Premier League proven candidate in this list is Brentford's Spanish stopper David Raya. It would be quite a blow to De Gea to lose the spot he held for so long at club level to Raya after the same fate befell him on international duty, but there are few Premier League enthusiasts who would not class Raya as an upgrade at this stage of both players' careers. Brentford are one of the shining lights to other clubs of how to get recruitment right and their plucking of Raya from (relative) obscurity was a stroke of genius.

A fine shot stopper with a good command of his box and a wide passing range, he would be an astute bit of business for any club this summer. He is known to favour a move away from Brentford and it would be surprising were the savvy Bees not to cash in this summer for £40m rather than lose him for free in 12 months' time. The trouble for Brentford is now that Spurs have turned their attention elsewhere, they cannot create a bidding war for United to drive up the price. United notoriously move at a snail's pace even with release clauses dangling in their faces, but this deal would make a lot of sense for all parties concerned.

Jordan Pickford - Everton - Fee Unknown

A somewhat paradoxical goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford and his little arms have somehow forget quite the career on the international stage. Gareth Southgate trusts the former Sunderland stopper wholeheartedly and he has been at the centre of a lot of the good work the Three Lions have done in recent years at Euros and World Cups. Comfortable with the ball at his feet and known to be the loudest voice on the pitch, albeit sometimes tricky to understand, Pickford would be quite the contrast from what United have grown used to with De Gea.

There were strong rumours earlier in the transfer window United were about to make a move for Pickford, but as is the norm for the Red Devils they pulled the Magikarp card and nothing happened. Ten Hag is thought to be a fan and believes despite Pickford's lack of experience playing for a club that dominates the ball, he has seen enough both for Everton and England to feel confident he would improve United. Fans would certainly feel less thrilled with the arrival of Pickford over an Onana or Costa, but he is at least Premier League proven. Whether Everton would sell at any price this summer remains to be seen. The same firm that have Onana priced at 4/7 think Pickford swapping Goodison for Old Trafford is a 7/4 chance. Far too skinny in our opinion.

Dean Henderson - Already at the club

One man who certainly thinks he is ready to be Manchester United number one, in fact he has thought it for about five years, is Dean Henderson. Arguably unlucky not to have been given more of a shot, he was rumoured to have been told by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer two seasons ago he was his number one only for Covid to rule him out of the season openers and De Gea to reclaim his jersey. Henderson spent a second season rotting on the substitutes bench at Old Trafford and upon Erik ten Hag's arrival he made it clear to the Dutchman he would not settle for a third. He asked to be loaned out or guaranteed the starting shirt and was sent packing to Nottingham Forest on loan.

This was a clear indication of ten Hag's lack of faith in the academy product, and in truth it looks unlikely the Dutchman has changed his mind on Henderson since his time Nottingham was cut short by injuries. However, if De Gea is to leave and the club's seemingly never ending sale process drags on for a few more weeks, the chances of Englishman Henderson starting the season in between the sticks purely due to being the last man standing grow. Stranger things have happened in football than a player like Henderson being given his chance through necessity and impressing his manager sufficiently to earn the shirt. He does at least possess better skill with the ball at his feet than De Gea, but as cruel as it is to say, which keeper doesn't these days?