According to reports from Mirror Football yesterday evening, Manchester United have entered the race to sign Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, alongside Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.
The 27 year-old has demonstrated a remarkable consistency as the Potters’ No.1 over the last five seasons, in that time winning the club’s Young Player of the Year, Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Supporters’ Club Player of the Year awards.
But he looks set to leave the Britannia this summer, with negotiations to extend his contract past the end of next season yet to get underway. Rather tellingly, Mark Hughes has dropped the Bosnian international from his last two matchday squads, facing Swansea City and Tottenham, in favour of prodigious understudy Jack Butland – as This Is Futbol revealed earlier this month.
Arsenal and Liverpool are both considered to be the front-runners in the race for Begovic’s signature – as This Is Futbol revealed yesterday – viewing him as a viable alternative to Petr Cech, who Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is reluctant to sell to another English club – as This Is Futbol reported on Saturday.
But Mirror Football now claim Manchester United are considering a cut-price bid for the £8million-rated goalkeeper. They want the 6 foot 6 shot stopper to provide competition for Victor Valdes, should No.1 David De Gea leave for Real Madrid this summer.
Whether Begovic would be interested in becoming a second-choice goalkeeper, even for a club as big as Manchester United, remains to be seen.
Begovic is SICK, comfortably one of the best keepers in the league.
As much as he would be a fantastic backup for Courtois, I think he’d be wasted. If he went to Liverpool or Arsenal (or any number of CL clubs – I’d probably even pick him over Casillas) he would probably start. He is undoubtedly better than Szczesny and Mignolet.
Supposedly Tim Krul might leave Newcastle if they go down? Plus he counts as home-grown… certainly wouldn’t mind having him.