Manchester United are looking at goalkeeping targets this summer, but Louis van Gaal may struggle to sign his former Netherlands number one.
The summer of intense goalkeeper speculation shows no signs of dying down, despite no major transfers actually going through yet, and one of the players who have been linked with a move has been quoted in the Mirror as saying his boss is set to block any bid for his services.
Real Madrid continue to be interested in Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, according to the Guardian, and it is only natural that the Red Devils are sizing up replacements for the Spaniard.
One of the players most closely linked to Old Trafford is Ajax goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, who kept goal in last summer’s impressive run by the Dutch under current United boss Louis van Gaal.
Cillessen was superb as the Netherlands claimed 3rd spot in the tournament, and the Mirror have claimed recently that Van Gaal is very interested in the 26-year-old.
However, the goalkeeper himself has revealed that Ajax are particularly unwilling to consider doing business with any club that pursue their number one, including their former favourite Van Gaal.
“The Ajax management are going to make it really difficult when the interest becomes concrete,” Cillessen is quoted as saying by the Mirror.
“If I had planned to leave, I would not have signed a new contract until 2018. My old contract was expiring in the summer of 2016 and in that case this summer would have been the perfect moment to leave.
“[Ajax coach] Frank de Boer has been very clear when he received questions about my transfer – he wants to block it.’’
The Mirror goes on to say that whatever De Boer thinks, Ajax would consider bids of £20 million. So it looks like United will either have to present a generous offer to the Eredivisie side, or look elsewhere.
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