Manchester United have yet to speak to Unai Simon or his representatives despite the uncertainty surrounding David de Gea’s future.
United’s number one was out of contract at the end of the current season and although the club have the option to extend his contract for another twelve months, it is unlikely that he will.
De Gea may still be offered a new contract on reduced terms as they aim to control the salary structure at Old Trafford.
The goalkeeper currently earns around £375,000 a week, making him the highest-earning goalkeeper in world football, as well as the highest-earning Spanish player.
Given their shortcomings, that’s a pretty absurd situation for United to find themselves in.
De Gea has impressed Erik ten Hag with his willingness to improve, but if an agreement cannot be reached on his salary, United could be forced to let him leave in June on a free transfer.
That has led the Red Devils to look at potential replacements, with Spanish outlet Relevo saying the club was impressed to see Unai Simon at the World Cup in Qatar.
The 25-year-old displayed impressive distribution against Germany in a match in which he also made a couple of key saves and showed a willingness to challenge crosses into the box.
His positive goalkeeping style is juxtaposed with De Gea’s and could be a big boost to Ten Hag’s attempt to instill a proactive style of football at Old Trafford.
Relevo think Simon could cost up to €40m, but given the kind of fees United’s rivals have spent to modernize their goalkeeping position, that hardly seems like a bailout.
A deal is some way off though, with Fabrizio Romano providing an update on the future of the Spain starter.
Speaking to Caught Offside via his column, the journalist said: “No, honestly, I am not aware of any conversation between Man United and Unai Simon or his agents.
“I think he is a very good goalkeeper, but right now the goalkeeper market in general is very calm.
“It’s always a kind of domino for the goalkeepers and I don’t see big changes in January.”
Replacing De Gea in January was never likely, but Simon could well become a priority target in the summer transfer window.
Bilbao believes that it already has a replacement in the form of Julen Agirrezabala, who will start with the Under 21s.
If United find themselves in need of a high-quality, proactive goalkeeper next season, Unai Simon will surely be on the shortlist.
