It might sound a bit outlandish, but there’s an intriguing twist in the works, according to reports from The Sun. They suggest that Manchester United could be in for an awkward about-face, as they consider reaching out to their former goalkeeper, David de Gea, with an offer for a short-term comeback. It’s unclear how much convincing will be needed, considering he’s currently in the enviable position of being a free agent and available for a comeback.
The sudden dilemma that Manchester United finds themselves in is due to the unexpected turn of events involving their goalkeeper, Andre Onana. Onana had a change of heart regarding international duty, which would potentially leave Manchester United without their primary shot-stopper for a significant chunk of time, specifically in the busy months of January and February. To plug this gap, one option on the table is the prospect of coaxing De Gea back with a short-term contract.
The Quest for the ‘New De Bruyne’
Now, let’s turn our attention to the aspirations of Jamal Musiala. Does he aim to step into the shoes of the ‘new De Bruyne’ at Manchester City, or perhaps become the ‘new Salah’ at Liverpool? As per Sport, it seems Manchester City has its eyes set on the 20-year-old as a natural successor to the injury-prone Belgian playmaking maestro. Reports also indicate that Musiala is genuinely intrigued by the idea.
German transfer specialist Florian Plettenberg has mentioned that Musiala is being considered as a ‘Salah replacement.’ In a statement made on a platform formerly known as Twitter, Plettenberg hinted that Liverpool is ‘keeping tabs’ on Musiala, but the likelihood of him joining the Merseyside club is ‘exceedingly slim.’
If Musiala does decide to part ways with Bayern, he seems to have limited his prospective destinations. He seems to believe that there are only two realistic options on the horizon for him: Real Madrid or Manchester City.
Maatsen’s Unfulfilled Chelsea Stint
Ian Maatsen probably expected more than just 83 minutes of Premier League action when he opted to forgo another loan spell and stay at Chelsea for this season. The 21-year-old has seen very limited action this season, with his sole starts occurring in the Carabao Cup.
It’s become apparent that Maatsen’s presence at Chelsea serves little purpose, particularly given his lack of significant market value and minimal utilization. He remained sidelined for the entirety of the 2-2 draw against Arsenal on a recent Saturday.
According to TEAMtalk, it’s highly probable that he’ll be departing Chelsea in January. Interestingly, both Manchester City and Liverpool have expressed their interest in the Dutch talent. Meanwhile, Chelsea is keeping an eye on Inter Milan’s defender, Federico Dimarco, along with Manchester United, and they’re also tracking the progress of Valentin Barco, a promising young talent from Boca Juniors.