David De Gea Is Fergie's Answer To Edwin Van Der Sar's Imminent Retirement

Manchester United’s goalkeeping future has never been of such great importance after Edwin Van der Sar celebrated his 40^th birthday last week, and it is clear that Sir Alex Ferguson has been trying to unearth his replacement for several months.

Despite a stable deputy in the form of Tomas Kuzsack, Ferguson will not be expected to make him first choice after Van der Sar’s retirement and with Rooney’s desire for better quality within the squad, the Scotsman is under pressure to deliver a capable replacement to the Old Trafford faithful.

Speculation has therefore been rife over his targets; some corners of the media suggest he will look for a young talented goalkeeper who can mature under his guidance, whereas others feel that the Scotsman prefers a more experienced and complete player.

What is certain though is that Van der Sar’s consistency and reliability made him the typical United goalkeeper and Ferguson recognises this tradition:

“There are certain criteria to be a goalkeeper here: good experience, personality and a track record. Edwin has all of those qualities. He didn't cost us a lot of money, about £2m, so he's right up there with my best signings.”  

The replacement won’t, in the current market, cost around the £2 million mark. It will be more likely with an extra zero on it.

Europe has become a hotbed for both upcoming and experienced goalkeepers, giving Ferguson a wide pool of talent to choose from, but one outstanding potential successor who has been heavily linked to Old Trafford is Atletico Madrid’s latest talent David de Gea.

The Spaniard is known at Atleti as 'Van der Gea' due to his lanky physique and agility, making him the perfect replacement for Van der Sar. There will be stiff competition for his signature as his recent performances have caught the eye of Europe’s elite; Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is one such admirer, stating that "De Gea is unlucky enough to have the same passport as Iker Casillas."

With Ferguson having his work cut out in luring the Spanish U21 to Manchester, he will be encouraged by comments from De Gea that his future lies in the English Premier League:

“The Premier League would be an enjoyable for any player and it is an option I would like a bit later on in my life.” And De Gea, who recently turned 20, knows of Fergie’s interest, “I learned [that Ferguson was there] the next day on TV and the news.”

Although the UEFA Super Cup winner insists that he is currently happy at the Vicente Calderó, “The important thing is that I have a contract here and I’m an Atletico player until 2013. That’s what matters. The truth is that everything is turning out well here, and I’m with my family and my friends, which is what I need. I think that is very important,” De Gea said.

A princely sum will have to be given to Atleti to secure his services, but it is a sum that will prevent the type of situation that Arsenal have had to deal with since the departure of their last experienced goalkeeper, Jens Lehmann.