Manchester United have been forced to take a step back in their pursuit of Kevin Trapp due to Eintracht Frankfurt's asking price for the goalkeeper.
Erik ten Hag is an admirer of Trapp, 32, who is an experienced shot-stopper and boasts a respectable CV from his time with Eintracht and Paris Saint-Germain. The United manager is on the lookout for a new option between the posts to push David de Gea.
Ten Hag has long-standing concerns over De Gea's ability to play the ball out with his feet and these will have only worsened given his dismal outing against Brentford earlier this month. It is hoped a new back-up goalkeeper could help the Spaniard rediscover his best form at Old Trafford, or at least provide the Red Devils with greater strength in depth.
Trapp recently emerged as a target for United after he helped Eintracht defeat Rangers via a penalty shootout to win the Europa League last season. However, the Daily Telegraph claims United have cooled their interest in the player because they are unwilling to meet his club's €25million (£21m) asking price.
The report adds Ten Hag is a fan of Trapp and remains determined to sign someone who can compete with De Gea. Further, the chances of United moving for Borussia Monchengladbach 'keeper Yann Sommer are equally slim.
Time is running out for United if they are to bring in a new shot-stopper before the summer transfer window slams shut on 1 September. They have been left light of options following Dean Henderson's move to Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan.
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It also remains to be seen whether Trapp would want to join the Red Devils, who cannot offer him the Champions League football that Europa League-winners Eintracht can this season. He was quizzed about his links with other clubs during the SportBild Awards show in Hamburg on Monday and replied: "As I said during my first spell at Frankfurt, it's always nice when rumours like this come out. It's a nice acknowledgement. But I can't say anything about it."
Meanwhile, Eintracht director Markus Krosche insisted that United are yet to make an official approach for Trapp and manager Oliver Glasner declared he would "of course like to keep" him. "From a sporting point of view, I would of course like to keep such a great goalkeeper and person," Glasner said of Trapp. "He is a great role model and always one of the first to arrive at training. But I'm not the final decision-maker."
