Everton transfer news: Jordan Pickford targeted as David de Gea future ‘bleak’ after confirmed Friday Manchester United news
Everton keeper Jordan Pickford is on a three-man shortlist to replace David de Gea at Manchester United after the Spaniard was left off the club’s official retained list on Friday (16 June), The Mirror reports.
The Old Trafford side released the set of names that did not include the 32-year-old, while stating that discussions “remain open” over a new deal.
However, The Mirror reports that he is “set to leave” United with sources indicating the outlooks looks “bleak” for him in Manchester.
Tutto Mercato Web had reported on Tuesday (13 June) that Erik ten Hag’s side wanted to sign the Toffees star whether De Gea stayed or not, with Everton reportedly ready to sell.
The Mirror‘s update puts Inter’s Andre Onana and Porto’s Diogo Costa in the frame alongside the England number one, as the 545-appearance Manchester United veteran looks “increasingly likely” to leave.
Test
Pickford’s extensive Premier League experience obviously provides a major tick on the assessment of the 29-year-old from United’s point of view.
But his new contract at Goodison Park, signed in February, protects Sean Dyche from losing his star man on the cheap.
He was expected to go if Everton had been relegated from the Premier League, but the final day escape puts the club in a relatively strong position.
Chelsea are thought to be competition for Onana [Guardian, 15 June], but none of the named options are likely to be cheap.
Dyche surely wants to keep one of the most prominent characters in the squad on Merseyside as he looks to strengthen this summer, even allowing for the fact he may need to sell certain players to fund incoming business.
There remains an outside chance that De Gea signs a new deal, but with United wanting to reduce his wages significantly from £375,000-a-week it has clearly proven difficult.
It looks like Everton may not be far from a bid arriving from Old Trafford to test their resolve, which might start to make fans nervous given how many key men they’ve seen sold in the past.