Jordan Pickford stance on Man Utd transfer emerges as Ten Hag eyes new No.1
Jordan Pickford is content at Everton amid speculation linking him with a £45million move to Manchester United.
The 53-capped England international goalkeeper has been tipped to replace David de Gea at Old Trafford, with the current United No.1 set to leave later this month when his contract expires. Mirror Football understands that De Gea failed to agree a new deal which would've seen his £375,000-a-week wages halved, although the club say that talks are ongoing.
United boss Erik ten Hag has therefore taken the decision to scour the transfer market in search of a new first-choice shot-stopper. Pickford, 29, was reported to be a target for Ten Hag numerous times throughout the 2022-23 campaign, his sixth season at Everton during which he was crucial in their fight to avoid survival.
Now, fresh claims say that Ten Hag and co are preparing a £45m transfer bid. But it seems that Pickford would welcome a seventh term with Everton, as The Mail report that he's happy at Goodison Park and United haven't yet made an enquiry.
Had the Toffees been relegated from the Premier League last season, it's very likely that the 29-year-old would've been forced to consider his options. It was only four months ago when the Sunderland academy graduate signed a new long-term contract with Everton.
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After committing his future to Merseyside until 2027, amid interest from Tottenham, Pickford declared: "It's massive to sign this new contract at such a special club for me.
"The support I've had from everyone at the club since I joined as a 22-year-old has been so important to my family and me. I'm happy here and so are my family. We love it at Everton."
David de Gea is on course to leave Manchester United at the end of June (MICAH CROOK/PPAUK/REX/Shutterstock)Have your say! Who'd you prefer - David de Gea or Jordan Pickford? Let us know in the comments section.
He added: "This contract will take me to more than 10 years at Everton and I want to build a legacy here to put myself up there with the likes of Neville Southall to be one of the best keepers to have played for Everton."
Due to Pickford's situation, Ten Hag is expected to look elsewhere for a new goalkeeper, particularly one who's more comfortable with the ball at his feet than De Gea, 32.
Inter Milan ace Andre Onana - who worked under Ten Hag at Ajax - is believed to be the top target, while Porto starlet Diogo Costa and Brentford's David Raya are also under consideration.
At his best, England No.1 Pickford could certainly go toe-to-toe with those three other targets, who are notably younger than him.
Ten Hag has made it clear on multiple occasions that he'd like De Gea to sign a new deal and extend his 12-year stay with United, but recent developments have plunged his future into doubt.
Both parties were confident of striking an agreement during the winter, only for that hope to largely dissipate over the past few weeks. The Spaniard's poor springtime performances - despite claiming the Premier League golden glove award, having earned the most clean sheets - won't have helped his case, nor will the tight budget which United are operating on this summer.
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