Erik ten Hag likes 20-year-old Dutchman, could be David de Gea's successor - report
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has his sights on Anderlecht goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, according to Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws.
The 20-year-old became Anderlecht’s first-choice goalkeeper following the World Cup and he has since put in several stand-out performances for them.
The youngster recently made nine saves against Villarreal in the Europa Conference League as the Belgian outfit booked their place in the quarter-final.
It is now reported by HLN that Verbruggen has caught the eye of top European clubs with his displays and United are one of those monitoring him.
Ten Hag is apparently charmed by the shot-stopper, who could be available for €10 million this summer.
United could be eyeing David de Gea’s successor
De Gea has had another top campaign with United. The Spaniard has made several outstanding saves that have directly contributed to victories for the club.
Talks are underway over a new deal with a pay-cut but United still need to look into the future. They should pursue a young back-up, who can succeed De Gea in the long run.
Verbruggen could be an enticing choice with his ball-playing ability. The Dutchman has completed an impressive 73 per cent of his passes this term while averaging 10 long balls.
In comparison, De Gea has a pass accuracy of 69 per cent in the Premier League this campaign. The 32-year-old has managed to deliver just 4.7 long balls per appearance.
Meanwhile, Verbruggen has yet to concede a goal from outside the box this season. The same can’t be said for De Gea, who has allowed seven goals in this fashion.
In our opinion, the Dutchman would be a superb long-term acquisition. He is only 20 years of age and could become the number one for United in a season or two.
Stats from Sofascore.com
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