Manchester United have launched a surprise move for Feyenoord keeper Justin Bijlow, with Financial Fair Play restricting Erik ten Hag 's search for a new shot-stopper.
Ten Hag had been hoping to sign Inter Milan star Andre Onana, but a deal for the 27-year-old is proving difficult. United are not able to pay the £60million fee it would take to bring him to Old Trafford, with the Red Devils now looking at alternatives.
One of those alternatives is Bijlow, who has become Feyenoord's first-choice keeper over the past two seasons. As Mirror Football reported on Saturday, it will take a fee in the region of £20m to convince the Eredivisie champions to sell.
United are hoping to raise more money by selling players, but for the time being they will have to look at cheaper options. Bijlow is now top of their shopping list for the cash-trapped Red Devils.
Ten Hag knows Bijlow well from his time in charge of Ajax, with the Dutchman seeking a keeper who is comfortable playing out from the back. Standing at 6ft 2in, Bijlow is shorter than expected for a keeper.
But he played a crucial role in helping Feyenoord to win the Eredivise title last season, conceding only 19 goals in 25 games as well as keeping 12 clean sheets. He first broke into the Feyenoord team in 2017, but it took another four years for him to claim the starting spot.
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His performances for De club aan de Maas earned him a call-up to the Netherlands national team, being handed eight caps in the last three seasons. The 25-year-old has impressed for the Oranje, with captain Virgil van Dijk hailing one of his early displays.
"You have to do everything you can to keep the clean sheet and take the three points. We were successful in that, partly thanks to a good save by Justin at the end," Van Dijk said after a World Cup qualifying win over Latvia in 2021.
Bijlow shot to fame in January when he was involved in an incident that went viral on social media. Feyenoord had travelled to FC Twente for a clash in the Eredivisie at the end of that month.
Bijlow started in goal for the league leaders and in the first-half stole the headlines from a game that ended 1-1. Twente forward Virgil Misidjan had raced down the wing before Bijlow came out of the box to tackle him.
But Bijlow had been carried off the pitch by the momenteum of his slide tackle, leaving the goal open. Misidjan recognised his side had a golden chance and tried to take a quick throw to get the game restarted.
The Feyenoord keeper was alert to the danger though, jumping to his feet and throwing a spare ball onto the pitch. That forced the referee to temporarily halt the game, allowing Bijlow to return to his position in goal.
