Van Der Sar has announced that he will retire from football at the end of the season. With Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, the best two defenders in the Premier League, sitting in front of you, you may say it would be easy to be a goalkeeper at Manchester United. But there is no way that Ferguson would take a risk on anything other than a consistent, experienced and able Goalkeeper.
With the likes of Van Der Sar (40), Brad Fiedel (39), Jussi Jääskeläinen (35) Mark Schwarzer, (38) and Marcus Hahnemann (38) all playing in the Premier League, it is apparent that in the modern game, Goalkeepers are looking after themselves better, and being looked after better than ever before and can extend their careers long into their late 30’s.
What this means is that Ferguson does not need to take a risk on a young Goalkeeper, or spend time developing one, because you can buy an experience Goalkeeper these days and not have to worry that you will only get a few years out of him, in the same way that you might about a striker.
Manchester United spent six years looking for a GK before they found Van Der Sar, and Ferguson admits that he should have bought him as soon as Schmeichel left. Van Der Gouw, Bosnich, Barthez, Caroll, and Taibi were some of the calamitous short term replacements but none did what Van Der Sar has done. Ferguson will definitely not put his side through this process again. I think he will spend the money and but a top class player since it is much less risky to buy a proven option than invest in youth.
It is true also that the only way goalkeepers get better is by playing regularly. This has been demonstrated this year by Ben Foster who never quite made enough of an impression at United to be kept on, but now he is settled at Birmingham, his form puts him as one of the best keepers in the Premiership.
In short, his other new goalkeeper Lindegaard, 26, will have a few opportunities from now until September and he will have to play out of his skin if he is to get anywhere near persuading Ferguson out of reinvesting.
Ferguson does not have time to buy a keeper with potential and try and bring them through, such as De Gea. Unlike with outfield players, top clubs have to buy a keeper who is already somewhere near the finished article; there is no room or time to develop a keeper.
Some would argue that the centre of midfield is United’s weakness; this was highlighted in the Champions League against Barcelona where they were out-passed by a superior side and made to run in circles round them. But to be fair, Barcelona do that to everyone (except Inter last year). Fletcher is determined and enthusiastic and is improving every season. Anderson too looks like he is finally starting to grow into the rather large boots you would expect of such an expensive player (circa 15m). Yes Hargreaves does have glass legs and a midfield option may be required, but only after a goalkeeper. So who should it be?
I think Ferguson will go for Stekelenburg from Ajax. He took over the Holland gloves from Van Der Sar and seems a perfect option. His contract is running out in a year too so he will not be as expensive as some of the others. Vitally he is tall, which will be important in the physical Premier League. Names such as Neuer, Akinfeev and Lloris will no doubt be thrown into the mixer but Ferguson is bound to ask Van Der Sar’s advice and I don’t see him recommending anyone other than his compatriot. If you are a betting man a suggest a coupled of quid on him now.
That said, rumours will no doubt circulate over the concluding months of the season, with Pepe Reina and Gigi Buffon the latest two to be linked with an Old Trafford move. I really can’t see Reina going, not from Liverpool to United, and I doubt Dalglish would be willing to let one of his few world class players leave.
Gossip on a new goalkeeper may not be as exciting as the potential signing of a new Brazilian wonder-kid, or the latest goal-scoring machine, but when it comes to transfers, I doubt much else will be on Fergie’s mind between now and the end of the season. For the time being, let us applaud the achievements of Edwin Van Der Sar.
From 1990-2011 he has won the English Premier League 3 times, Uefa Cup, Eredivisie 4 times and the Champions League twice.
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