Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster has suggested that the Reds could save millions by offering shot-stopper David de Gea a new contract at Old Trafford.
The Spaniard, who recorded his 500th appearance for United in the Premier League clash with Newcastle United on Sunday, is out of contract at the end of the season - though United can extend his deal by a further 12 months - and it remains to be seen if the club will offer the 31-year-old a new deal.
De Gea signed for the Reds in 2011 from Atletico Madrid and has been the club's first-choice goalkeeper for a number of years. It was suggested in the summer that new manager Erik ten Hag might look to replace the Spain international with someone more accustomed to playing out from the back.
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However, De Gea has featured in every match for United this term, and former Reds man Foster has tipped his old side to extend De Gea's contract - suggesting that it would be expensive to replace him.
"It’s a difficult one. I think the easy option is for him [De Gea] just to sign a new contract and to carry on what he’s doing. The problem with that is that signing a new contract is another £350,000 a week for the next three or four years, which I’m sure David will be happy to do," Foster told the Metro.
"But on the flip side of it, if you’re going to get someone that will be able to come straight into the first team and play week in, week out and to replicate performances like De Gea has been showing, it’s going to cost you £70m or £80m.
"Nobody wants to spend £80m on a goalie! Save that money on a striker. You pay your most money for a striker, then it comes back through the team from the midfield to the defence, the last resort is a goalkeeper. The thing with De Gea is you have a good-to-go goalkeeper. You know what you’re going to get from De Gea; he’s a seven out of 10 every single week and there’s a lot to be said for that.
"You can get a goalkeeper in that will be better with his feet but will he have the shot-saving ability that De Gea has? Will he have the one vs one saving? It’s not as simple as getting a goalie in that can play with his feet because there’s so many other factors than just that."
Foster, who retired in the summer after leaving relegated Watford, also claimed that De Gea was more than capable of playing out from the back when required. He claimed that the Spaniard needed to be supported by his defenders when he has the ball at his feet and is looking to start an attack.
"He’s definitely got the ability to pick passes out and be calm, for sure, but United need to find a way of playing where when the ball goes back to him everyone needs to spread out and look for the ball," he said. "There’s a difference between actually showing that you want the ball and being available for the ball. A lot of defenders will kind of act like they want it but you can tell they don’t actually want it.
"In moments of games, De Gea will sense some players don’t want it so he will just kick it long. You’ll then get people saying 'oh he should have kept it there' but it’s not that simple."
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