Gary Neville has backed Manchester United to sign David Raya as a possible David de Gea replacement.
Speaking on The Overlap, the former Man United defender brought up the Red Devils’ goalkeeping situation.
“Going back to Manchester United and a goalkeeper,” said Neville.
“I went to watch Brentford on a Saturday a couple of weeks ago, of course, I have watched a lot of them since… the Brentford goalkeeper, Raya… I think he is going to become available. He only has a year left. I think he could step up. I think Raya will interest Manchester United.”
The goalkeeping situation at the club is a cause for concern looking ahead to next season, with De Gea’s contract set to expire and no new deal agreed as of yet.
To make matters worse, backup keeper Tom Heaton will also be out of contract, while on-loan Jack Butland will return to Crystal Palace in the summer.
Dean Henderson will be returning from loan, but it expected that he will be moved on, given his general attitude towards his parent club since moving to Nottingham Forest.
A new goalkeeper or two could end up being the absolute number one priority for United in the off-season, and Raya could be a shrewd addition.
He excels when playing out from the back and has the passing range and composure to match many an outfield player – something which would benefit Erik ten Hag as he looks to improve United’s ability to play out from the back.
He is also excellent at dealing with crosses and commanding his area – something which De Gea has struggled with for years.
With a year left on his contract, United could well look to sign the Spaniard on a cut-price deal, which would certainly help with any budgetary restrictions that may arise in the summer.
As reported by The Peoples Person, Raya has already turned down two contract offers from Brentford as well, so it certainly looks as though the player himself is angling for a transfer.
Whether that leads him to become a Manchester United player in the summer remains to be seen.