da betobet： On the surface, parting with a player who hasn’t played a single minute of Premier League football in 2017/18 won’t have too much of an impact on the second half of Manchester United’s season.
da pinnacle： But Sergio Romero is a rather special case as back-up goalkeeper to David De Gea, and with the Premier League title race seemingly over already, his absence could be sorely felt when Jose Mourinho looks to rest the in-form Spaniard as the cup competitions, particularly Champions League, begin to take priority.
Understandably though, Romero is determined to make Argentina’s World Cup squad and hopes to secure a loan move at the very least by the end of the January transfer window – per The Independent.
So, what are the options if United grant 93-cap international his World Cup wish? Football FanCast look at four potential solutions…
Solution A – Give youth a chance
United once prided themselves of guaranteeing chances for young players and although that guiding principle has been lost somewhat amid the hugely competitive years of the latter Premier League era, their third-choice goalkeeper is the highly-rated 21-year-old Joel Pereira.
He’s represented Portugal frequently at youth international level and has tasted first-team football with Rochdale and Belenenses, alongside three senior outings for the Red Devils. But can he be relied upon in the Premier League just yet?
Another alternative is recalling Sam Johnstone from his Aston Villa loan spell; the former England U20 has earned rave reviews from his loan stints at Villa Park and looks a good prospect, but it feels as if United have already decided he doesn’t have a future at Old Trafford.
Solution B – Sign a De Gea replacement ahead of schedule
It’s inevitable David De Gea will attract interest in the summer after such a fine season, especially with his contract due to enter its final twelve months, and although Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in the world, they may well have to surrender arguably their only world-class talent this time around.
Accordingly, bringing in the Spaniard’s long-term replacement six months early to act as backup to De Gea until the end of the campaign could prove a master-stroke, with highly-rated young shot-stoppers like Jack Butland, Mattia Perin and Gianluigi Donnarumma falling into that category of potential successor.
The obvious stumbling block, however, is whether any club would be prepared to part with their No.1 midseason. On top of that, signing a top-quality ‘keeper would make it pretty obvious De Gea will leave in the summer. That could affect his and the team’s performances.
Solution C – Bring in someone on a short-term deal
It may only postpone the issue until the summer, but signing a goalkeeper on a short-term deal, be that a free agent or someone on loan, could be the most realistic solution for the Red Devils. It’s obviously a question of who could be available midseason, but there are some potential options out there.
Atletico Madrid’s Miguel Moya is into the final six months of his contract and may be interested in the opportunity to try and earn a full-time deal at Old Trafford for next season, while fellow veteran Diego Lopez, who worked with Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, has hardly kicked a ball since signing for Espanyol permanently during the summer.
He’ll surely relish the chance to impress with United at the age of 36.
Solution D – Sign a new permanent No.2
There are plenty of good quality goalkeepers who would jump at the chance of joining the ranks at Old Trafford, so perhaps the simplest solution to parting with Sergio Romero is signing another long-term No.2.
There are two directions United can take here; bringing in an old, experienced head who won’t be too worried about game-time, or an exciting young goalkeeper who can put pressure on whoever will be the No.1 next season.
In the former category, someone like John Ruddy comes to mind – he’s often been mentioned as a potential No.2 for a top club because he’s experienced and English – alongside names that have been around for years like Fernando Muslera and Kenneth Vermeer – who has been frozen out somewhat at Feyenoord.
Alternatively, United could invest in an emerging talent like Mile Svilar, who the Red Devils have already encountered this season, or Toulouse teenager Alban Lafont.
So United fans, which course of action would you take should Romero leave this month? Let us know by voting below…