Manchester United sent a scout to Portugal this week to watch Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa in action for the Primeira Liga side.
Andre Onana’s time at Old Trafford has been inconsistent to say the least, with the Cameroonian shot stopper giving away a number of goals due to a number of different mistakes.
The latest in this series of errors came in Manchester United’s first leg 2-2 draw with Lyon in the Europa League, with both goals being avoidable. Luckily, this didn’t come back to bite United, as they went on to win the tie 7-6 in an epic clash at Old Trafford.
Following the first leg, Onana was dropped for United’s loss at Newcastle, and it’s now believed that this season may be his last at Old Trafford following an error strewn season.
With Altay Bayindir not showing enough quality to be the next number one, it’s believed that the club will look for a new starting keeper in the summer window.
United scouting Costa ahead of summer window
According to Record, both United and Roma sent an ‘observer’ to the Estádio do Dragão to watch Porto’s 2-1 win over Famalicão on Friday evening.
Linked with a move last season, Porto’s number one is once again rumoured for a summer transfer, and it’s believed that United are at the front of the queue to get the 25-year-old’s signature.
United have been linked with the Portuguese keeper for a number of transfer windows now, so these rumours should be taken with a pinch of salt.
However, with Costa entering the final years of his contract at Porto, and Onana’s situation at the club, this summer transfer window could finally be the time that the long-standing interest materialises into a move.
As for many potential moves this summer, United’s major stumbling block could be the fee they’d have to produce to acquire the keeper. He has a reported release clause of £62.5 million, but it’s believed they could negotiate a deal of around £50 million.
Should United prioritise different positions?
While Onana has come under criticism for his performances this season, surely the attack will be Ruben Amorim’s main aim to improve this summer.
United’s financial situation this summer has been widely publicised, and with an almost complete overhaul of the squad needed, positions needs to be prioritised.
It’s speculated that the club will have around £20-30 million to spend before the number of rumoured departures are taken into account, with players like Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho looking to demand a decent fee.
Manchester United have scored 38 goals this season in the league, just five more that Ipswich. Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have combined for a total of 11 goals this Premier League season, a stat that speaks for itself when it comes to where to focus on this summer.
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