Manchester United are in talks with Crystal Palace to sign goalkeeper Jack Butland on loan for the rest of the season.
Erik ten Hag is eager to bring in a no2 to provide cover for David de Gea after Martin Dubravka was recalled by Newcastle United last week, ending his loan spell at Old Trafford.
According to The Daily Telegraph, United have now set their sights on former England international Butland.
The 29-year-old joined Palace from relegated Stoke City in 2020 but has remained behind Vincente Guaita in the pecking order in south east London, slipping further down following the arrival of Sam Johnstone last summer.
Butland’s contact at Selhurst Park expires at the end of the season, leaving him free to discuss a pre-contract. But United are in talks to bring him to Manchester immediately.
United have Everton and Charlton in FA Cup and Carabao Cup action over the next week, situations where ten Hag would usually consider turning to his no2.
Dubravka made just two appearances at United, featuring in the Carabao Cup wins over Aston Villa and Burnley – turning in an extremely shaky performance against the Clarets.
Dubravka left United after making just two appearances (Picture: Getty)
Veteran Tom Heaton was de Gea’s understudy for the 3-0 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday night and while ten Hag sees him as a valued member of the dressing room still wants to bring in another no2 option.
United are also hoping to sign another forward option during the January window.
The club are likely to be limited to a loan arrival with Joao Felix and Alvaro Morata linked with moves to Old Trafford, with Olivier Giroud emerging as another possible contender this week.
‘We are looking for offensive players, we are looking for a striker.
‘It would be good because the games coming, there are so many, every third day,’ ten Hag said of the club’s striker search last week.
‘It is tough. we want to play in all the leagues we are in so hopefully we keep going [in them] until the end of the season but to do that we need numbers in the squad to cover it all.’
David de Gea agrees to take pay cut to secure new Manchester United contract
David de Gea will agree a pay cut to land a new deal at Manchester United with the goalkeeper confident of ending his career at Old Trafford.
The 32-year-old has entered the final six months of his current contract at Old Trafford with United opting against activating their option to extend that deal by a further 12 months.
Extending that deal would have seen de Gea remain on his current £375,000-per-week wages until the summer of 2024.
But the Spain international is now set to sign fresh terms with the club after accepting United’s request to lower his salary, the Daily Telegraph reports.
De Gea, who was signed by Sir Alex Ferguson from Atletico Madrid in 2011, says he is ‘very relaxed’ over his future at the club and believes he will remain in Manchester for the remainder of his career.
‘I hope so,’ De Gea said when asked if he was confident he would finish his career at United. ‘I was saying this is my club, I’ve been here many, many years and it’s a huge honour to be here and I’m so happy here.
‘I’m very relaxed [about the contract], just focused on training, performing as best as I can. But, for sure, it’s going to end in a good way.’
De Gea has remained first choice under ten Hag (Picture: Getty)
De Gea’s future at United came under scrutiny in the summer with Erik ten Hag’s arrival prompting questions whether his distribution with the ball was of the required level for the Dutchman’s style of play.
But the shot stopper has remained a key figure under ten Hag this season, keeping nine clean sheets in his last 12 matches with United not conceding a single goal since the return of club football in late December.
De Gea has been part of a much-improved defensive unit which kept a clean sheet against Bournemouth on Wednesday night despite first-choice centre-half pairing Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez both missing out with Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire back in the side.
‘That’s how it should be to come here [to Old Trafford] – it should be a tough place for the teams,’ De Gea said. ‘Let’s see in the future. We are playing really well, we have to keep the momentum as much as we can and prepare for every game as a final and recover well.
‘He’s [Ten Hag] doing well. He puts every player in the same direction and we feel like a proper team. Everyone wants to win, everyone wants to play for this club and that’s massive. He brought a great spirit to the team, we are playing really well and this is the way we have to show and keep the momentum as well.
‘He was happy with the clean sheet [against Bournemouth] but at the same time he was a bit angry because we conceded too many chances and we were too open at the end of the game, so he was a bit angry.’
Source: metro
