Another goalkeeper that has been linked with United is David de Gea, the highly rated Spanish under-21 international that currently plays for Atlético Madrid, but Stekelenburg looks more likely with him having more experience after starting for Holland last summer in the 2010 World Cup final.
Manchester United’s first-team coach, René Meulensteen said:
Stekelenburg is indeed the goalkeeper who is at the top of our wanted list. We have naturally been talking a lot among ourselves about who should replace Van der Sar. Alex Ferguson has spoken about Stekelenburg with Edwin and that does not seem strange to me at all.
Ferguson today gave a little hint that Danish goalkeeper, Anders Lindegaard, could make his debut this weekend in the FA Cup against Southampton. Maybe if he can impress so there will be no need to look elsewhere – time will tell!
Ferguson also went on about the mistake he made regarding Van der Sar, earlier today:
I made a mistake. I should have bought Van der Sar then [in 1999] but I didn’t do it. We will be better prepared this time. We have learned from that.
Sir Alex doesn’t make many mistakes but I this is definitely one of them, Van der Sar is a true professional and a perfect role model for every youngster, hopefully we can send him off with another league title!