After learning that the Everton board is hesitating to extend the England No. 1’s contract at Goodison Park, Manchester United may attempt to replace David de Gea with Jordan Pickford.
De Gea’s future at Old Trafford is still up in the air. Marcus Rashford, Diogo Dalot, and other players recently had one-year extensions triggered by United, while De Gea’s deal remained unanswered.
As things stand, the Spaniard will be a free agent after this season unless he accepts a major wage cut, and manager Erik ten Hag would want to replace him with a goalkeeper who is more at ease with the ball in his feet.
Diogo Costa, a goalkeeper for Porto and Portugal, is reportedly his top pick, but Pickford’s own contract situation at Everton has raised eyebrows at Old Trafford.
The Everton board has yet to approve the conditions of the new five-year contract that the England goalkeeper had agreed to before the World Cup, and United is hopeful that they will be able to sign him for close to the €25.8 million that Football Transfers’ internal algorithm values him at.
Frank Lampard, the manager of Everton, would undoubtedly prefer to see Pickford stay.
Pickford is happy at Everton, says Lampard.
Jordan expressed last week that he was “very thrilled” to be at the club. “I don’t want to speak for him, but I get that sense from him.
“I believe we can equal his goals. He plays a significant role in the size, history, and ambition of our enormous club. If Jordan feels that way, we can complement each other’s goals, and I don’t see anything wrong with trying to convince him to stay longer.
Unfortunately for Lampard, the Everton board appears to be holding back, and United could now seize the opportunity.
Pickford would count as a homegrown player on top of the fact that he already resides in Cheshire.
