Manchester United currently have an abundance of goalkeepers. David de Gea is a global superstar and has been for some time. Sergio Romero is one of the best back-up goalkeepers in the world and Dean Henderson is an extremely exciting talent. Lee Grant also plays for United, however, he has only featured for them twice since joining in 2018. With other prospects out on loan and another recent young addition in Nathan Bishop, their excess of goalkeepers has made Manchester United expect the departure of two goalkeepers.
Manchester United Expect the Departure of Two Goalkeepers
Who Do They Expect to Leave?
Lee Grant
The less surprising of the two, Lee Grant joined Manchester United in the summer of 2018 for £1.5 million. United bought him as a back-up to de Gea and Romero, however, with more young talent having come through, Grant has dropped further through the ranks.
He has played for Manchester United just twice, and they have not been so wonderful. The first of these came in the Carabao Cup in 2018/19 when United lost to Derby County. Grant played for 20 minutes after Romero was sent off, and conceded one goal. His more recent appearance came in a Europa League tie along with many younger players. With the Red Devils already having qualified, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer handed Grant his second game in a United shirt, and his first playing for the full 90 minutes.
While United did not bring Grant in to play many games, he has appeared less than expected. The experienced goalkeeper’s contract will run out at the end of the season, and there has been no talk of a renewal.
Sergio Romero
Sergio Romero is Manchester United’s number two goalkeeper, after David de Gea. The Argentine has been one of the most consistent United players recently, however with fairly minimal game time, he may look for a place as first choice elsewhere.
Romero joined United in the summer of 2015 after the departure of Anders Lindegaard and the loan of Victor Valdes. The 32-year-old immediately filled in for de Gea, whose move to Real Madrid was consistently on the line. Although Romero played well, de Gea played ahead of him as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
Since this, the former Monaco goalkeeper has played in United’s cup fixtures, for the most part, including the Europa League and Champions League. He is superb whenever called upon by the Red Devils, and although they play him fairly regularly, Romero wants to be the first-choice goalkeeper. Villarreal and Real Sociedad are current favourites for his signature. While many United fans will be sad to see him go, Romero has been tremendous for the reds. This may be what he needs to boost his career.
Will They Buy a Replacement?
While it is not certain whether Dean Henderson will return from loan at Sheffield United this summer, United may need to buy a replacement. If Henderson does not return, the acquisition of a new back-up goalkeeper to fill Sergio Romero’s shoes would probably occur, and a new third-choice goalkeeper may also be a necessity. If the young Englishman should return, we may see one or no new signings between the sticks. Lee Grant was seldom needed, and even when he did play, there were certainly viable alternatives.
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