Manchester United’s goalkeeper problems continue to mount after David de Gea made a key error against West Ham.
David de Gea is a problem which Manchester United need to solve. It should be quite straightforward, with his contract set to expire.
Erik ten Hag does not necessarily share that view. He told The Athletic after united’s defeat that a new contract for the goalkeeper is still in the works.
He said: “We want him to stay and we want him to extend his contract.”
United don’t currently have good competition for De Gea in goal, a viable alternative to put in and take the Spaniard out the firing line.
This used to be different, with Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Romero once a genuine ‘plan B’ at Old Trafford, starring in the team’s Europa League 2017 final run.
What Sergio Romero is up to now
Sergio Romero was released by Manchester United in 2021, after being ostracised under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the final 12 months of his contract.
It felt like he was treated pretty badly. After helping Solskjaer’s United reach three semi-finals in 2019/20, he was dropped for all three for David de Gea, and United lost them all.
If he kicked up a fuss and said something out of turn, we can’t really blame him for being annoyed.
After a spell at Italian side Venezia, Romero is now back in Argentina with Boca Juniors.
Last night the 36-year-old started in goal for the Superclasico as Boca Juniors took on rivals River Plate away from home.
He put in an outstanding performance, making four saves and was on course to keep a clean sheet until one of his defenders gave away a penalty in the third minute of injury time.
Romero didn’t save it and Boca lost 1-0. Unbeaten from open play, the former United stopper was, per SofaScore, his team’s best player on the pitch.
It is good to see Romero still operating at a top level. He spent too much of his career as a back-up at Old Trafford, and then lost the 2020/21 season entirely.
Meanwhile David de Gea’s problems at Manchester United mount, and the issue goes deeper than that.
United will need a dependable back-up, with Jack Butland set to leave when his loan deal expires and Tom Heaton’s contract runs out.
Erik ten Hag probably won’t turn back and give Sergio Romero a call – but you would struggle to find anyone upset if he did.
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