曼聯目標史迪基倫堡作為替代雲達沙
曼聯目標史迪基倫堡作為替代雲達沙
Manchester United target Maarten Stekelenburg as replacement for Edwin van der Sar
Manchester United have intensified their search for a new goalkeeper by scouting Maarten Stekelenburg in the Netherlands' 2-1 win over Finland last week.
By Duncan White
Published: 12:01AM BST 12 Sep 2010
On the radar: Manchester United have been keeping a close eye on Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg Photo: REUTERS
The Ajax goalkeeper, who was part of the Dutch team that reached the World Cup final, is seen as the ideal replacement for his countryman Edwin van der Sar.
Van der Sar turns 40 next month and, while the level of his performance remains high, Sir Alex Ferguson has been looking to sign a successor, with CSKA Moscow's Igor Akinfeev being considered.
Van der Sar’s contract expires at the end of the season which would leave just Tomasz Kuszczak and the inexperienced Ben Amos at the club. Manchester United sold Ben Foster to Birmingham this summer and want to get a new goalkeeper in for next season and, depending on Van der Sar’s fitness, may even be provoked to move for Stekelenburg in January.
Stekelenburg is 6”6 and has a growing reputation, enhanced by another good performance in the Finland game. He replaced Van der Sar with the national team when the United keeper retired after Euro 2008 and was arguably the most impressive goalkeeper at the finals in South Africa this summer. He was linked with a move to Arsenal after the tournament but committed himself to Ajax for at least another season.
Ferguson, meanwhile, has revealed that he is still losing sleep over the way his side were eliminated from the Champions League last season. United face Rangers on Tuesday and the United manager is determined to succeed in Europe this season.
“Our priority is Champions League and the Premier League and I always think the Champions League should be a priority,” he said. We've only won it three times and yet we've been unlucky a lot of times and other times we've ballsed it up.
“Three definitely isn't enough and we could have won it another two or three years. Last year plays on my mind, that Bayern Munich game. Christ, I'm still not sleeping! I keep thinking about that game and keep getting angry.”
