Manchester United are in the process of hiring a goalkeeper recruitment analyst to identify potential first-team targets.
United posted an advertisement earlier this month for an analyst to join their technical chief scout team "with the specific purpose of identifying players who demonstrate the potential to play for the first-team". The analyst will be tasked with generating data that supports the decision-making process.
The United football director John Murtough has expanded his staff over the last year with the appointments of head of data science Dominic Jordan and deputy football director Andy O'Boyle. Mick Court remains the technical chief scout.
Also read: Ten Hag explains why De Gea can get even better
First-choice 'keeper David de Gea has entered the last year of his United contract but the club has the option of an additional year and are expected to make a decision before the end of January.
De Gea, 31, expressed a desire to end his career at United during pre-season but there remains scrutiny over his distribution and he has been omitted from the Spain squad by coach Luis Enrique.
There is uncertainty over the futures of all of the senior United goalkeepers, with Dean Henderson embittered over his lack of playing time last season.
Henderson, 25, is on a season-long loan at Nottingham Forest and has not even spoken to United manager Erik ten Hag but the England international is contracted to his parent club until 2025.
Tom Heaton, 36, is out of contract next year while Martin Dubravka is on loan from Newcastle but has been third-choice. Nathan Bishop joined United from Southend in January 2020 and was listed on the bench in the Premier League for the first time against West Ham and has also entered the final year of his deal. United have extension options on the contracts of Heaton and Bishop.
Ten Hag described De Gea as "magnificent" after he made three vital saves in their 1-0 Premier League win over West Ham on Sunday.
"Everyone has his own opinion and his own philosophy," Ten Hag said. "For me, the first from a goalkeeper is you have to protect the goal, so make sure you don't concede goals and in that fact he is magnificent.
"And on the feet, for me, he has the capabilities as well. This season, he is progressing from game to game in that part. It has to do not only with the keeper but it has to do with the one in front: how do you give the keeper options to bring passes in. Because when they don't bring freedom or they are in the wrong positions, he doesn't have the options to pass around.
"But I am convinced he can do it and I think the games so far prove that. I think he will improve from game to game in that part."
"What we said on this issue about negotiating from the whole squad, we said first we're focusing in this part of the season on the games and when we're coming to the end of this block and go to the World Cup, of course we have to think about that," Ten Hag reiterated. "And in the background we have strategies how to deal with it.
"But it's quite clear and I have emphasised it several times: I am really happy with David. He is a great goalkeeper, he is only 31, he is fit, he can progress even more. He was already impressing good for Man United and I think he will in the future as well."
De Gea started all but three games last season but could have his most involved campaign under Ten Hag, who has selected the Spaniard in all five Europa League group stage matches.
United signed De Gea from Atletico Madrid for £18.9million in 2011 and he has won the Premier League, the FA Cup, the League Cup, the Europa League and four Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year awards.
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