Sir Alex Wants Stekelenberg at Man United

Rene Meulensteen, the Manchester United first team coach has reportedly stated that the Dutch goalkeeper, Maarten Stekelenburg is top of Sir Alex Ferguson's transfer target list for the summer as they look to replace the retiring Edwin van der sar.

United have been linked to several goalkeepers including David de Gea, Manuel Neur and even Liverpool's Pepe Reina, but according to Meulensteen, Stekelenburg is the priority:

"Stekelenburg is indeed a keeper who is at the top of our wanted list,"

"We naturally talk a lot among ourselves about who should replace Van der Sar. Alex Ferguson has spoken about Stekelenburg with Edwin, and that does not seem strange to me at all."

After having so much trouble in finding a replacement for Peter Schmeichel after he left United, Ferguson is understandably eager to sign a goalkeeper similar to his most recent successful buy, van der sar.

Stekelenburg and Van der Sar both began their career at Ajax - the club where Stekelenburg currently plays with around 186 appearances. During the 2006 World Cup, Stekelenburg was the understudy to Van der Sar while in the 2010 World Cup, Stekelenburg was the number one goalkeeper, and helped his country get to the final - conceding only five goals in the process. He did unfortunately end up on the losing side.
They also both have a large frame - with Van der Sar standing at 6 foot 6 inches, while Stekelenburg stands at 6 foot five and a half.

Despite the signing of Danish keeper Anders Lindegaard, Ferguson is looking for a proven, top quality, goalkeeper with experience in big competitions such as the Champions League. He has a pool of talent to choose from, and he will certainly do his best to get his decision right as he tries to avoid a repeat of the last time their number one left.

Almunia Out of Arsenal, Adler In for United

Goalkeepers look set for moves in this January's transfer window for both Arsenal and Manchester United, with Almunia seemingly on his way out Arsenal, while German stopper, Rene Adler may be on his way to Manchester United as Ferguson prepares for life without Edwin van der sar.

Firstly, with Almunia. The 33 year-old Spaniard has fallen out of favour in the Arsenal team, and is now the third choice goalkeeper, with Wojciech Szczesny and Lukas Fabianski ahead of him in the pecking order. Galatasaray, Athletico Madrid and Malaga have all been rumoured to be interested in Almunia, and Wenger appears to admit that the former Arsenal number ones situation is far from secure, as when asked whether he will leave said:

"There is a small chance. Yes, I have had a chat with him, but nothing is decided. We are in no-man's land at the moment on that front."

After conceding three goals against West Brom in Arsenals 3 - 2 loss back in late September, Almunia has not played as much as he would have liked. A move away to a club that could guarantee him first team football, and a club that could put up with a few errors now and then, will be a team Almunia would jump a the chance of joining.

Arsenal's title rivals, Manchester United also have a goalkeeping situation on their hands as Edwin van der sar is set for retirement at the end of the season. Anders Lindegaard has already been signed, and Ben Amos has been sent on loan for experience, while Tomasz Kuszczak has more or less threatened to leave unless he is made the number one keeper. This is probably unlikely, and Sir Alex Ferguson knows that. He want a more experienced, top quality goalkeeper, and Rene Adler is reportedly on of the names on his shortlist.

Before the January transfe window, Fergusonclaimed he wouldn't be bringing any new faces to Old Trafford. He has now changed his mind, and said:

"I'd like to get one player in during the transfer window if I could."

25 year-old German goalkeeper Rene Adler has not been shy about expressing his love for Manchester United. He has a clause in his contract which states that if United are to bid £15 million, his current club, Bayer Leverkuen must let him go. Adler was a fan of United as a child, and Peter Schmeichel was his idol:

"I have told the Leverkusen board that I am not willing to discuss any new contract until April. The board of the club are aware of the special clause in my contract.

"As a kid, my friends were interested in cartoons, MTV and German TV programmes, but I was the only interested in one person - Peter Schmeichel - who was in goal for Manchester United."

"I thought he was fantastic and loved every minute he was on TV with United. My whole bedroom was full of Schmeichel posters and United things"

Who better to have at your club than a quality player that has dreamed of playing for your team as a child? There will be no question of his comitmn to the club, especially as he went to the trouble of creating the unusual get-out clause.

Manchester United sign van der sar Replacement

Manchester United struggled miserably to find a replacement for Peter Schmeichel when the Dane left in 1999, and now Sir Alex Ferguson must find a replacement for the Dutch Edwin van der sar as he seems set for retirement at the age of 40. Their new £3.5 million signing of Anders Lindegaard will hopefully be a shortcut to the the route of goalkeepers that Ferguson had to take when Schmeichel left as the 26-year-old has a medical today.

Ferguson will be hoping that Lindegaard is not another van der Gouw, Bosnich, Taibi, or Ricardo, but rather a strong and reliable goalkeeper, who can be the safety net behind the defenders. Someone who will not make mistakes consistently, but who will be a calm and steady influence that a young team needs. No doubt that Ferguson has seen this player play - unlike the Bebe signing.

Manchester United goalkeeping legend Schmeichel doesn't believe that Lindegaard is good enough for his former club however.

When asked whether his compatriot Lindegaard was of sufficient quality to play for England's biggest club, h replied

 "No. We are talking about Manchester United here. You can look at talent, you can look at young good players, [but] you don't want that, you want someone who can go in straight away and give performances in 80% of the games that the number one choice goalkeeper will play for Manchester United.

"Too many goalkeepers have been through, in and out of the doors at Manchester United, and the general perception is, for this team to play well and win trophies, that position has to be [filled by] someone who is of the very, very highest quality but also the right experience."

Lindegaard won't be too pleased hearing this, as Schmeichel was the young Dane's boyhood hero. However, criticism of him should only want him to prove the critics wrong, and strive to become better. He has already uprooted the Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen as Danish number 1 after impressing at club level for Aalesunds, and will be hoping to do the same at United.