Juventus are eyeing Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea for a switch to Serie A at the end of the season.
De Gea has entered the final 12 months of his existing deal at Old Trafford, although the Red Devils can trigger a one-year option in his contract. They would be expected to do just that in order to avoid losing him on a free transfer.
However, the Italian giants are reportedly hoping to land him next summer, if not on a free transfer then for a cut price fee. And with Erik ten Hag unconvinced by the Spaniard and his style of goalkeeping - the Dutchman wants a more proactive keeper between the sticks to help start attacks - there may be scope for a deal to be done.
Juve are lining him up as their replacement for ex-Arsenal man Wojciech Szczesny, reports Calciomercato. The Poland international's deal expires in 2024 and he may be seeking a new challenge.
De Gea has been a constant in United’s team since joining the club from Atletico Madrid 11 years ago. In that time, he has racked up 495 appearances across all competitions, including eight in the current campaign.
But with United assessing their long-term plans in another new era at Old Trafford following the arrival of Ten Hag, a change in goal can't be ruled out, especially after other positions across the pitch were prioritised in a £227.4million splurge this past summer.
Will David de Gea leave Man Utd next summer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
De Gea is also one of the highest earners at the club, contributing to a record high wage bill in the Premier League of £384m last season, while the Red Devils recently announced that their salaries have further increased by an eye watering £61.6m since.
As a result, United may not pass up the opportunity to slash that figure should they be given the chance of recouping a decent fee for their long-time No.1, who has fallen down the pecking order with his national team during the past 18 months. He is highly unlikely to be included in La Roja's World Cup squad.
De Gea endured a poor start to the season as United lost their opening two games against Brighton and Brentford, most notably making a number of errors in the 4-0 defeat to the latter. Since then, he has kept three clean sheets in the last six fixtures.
