
It has been confirmed that Maarten Stekelenburg is Manchester United’s prime transfer target this season. Head coach René Meulensteen has revealed that 28-year-old Stekelenburg is favourite to replace Edwin Van Der Sar at the end of the season, while Ajax are believed to be resigned to selling the goalkeeper…
Stekelenburg has already replaced Van Der Sar in the Holland International set-up, and is set to follow in his footsteps at Old Trafford. Van Der Sar announced his plans to retire at the end of the season earlier this week, with many goalies linked with a switch to The Red Devils. However Stekelenburg, 28, has fastly become the favourite to replace United’s outgoing 40-year-old flying Dutchman.
René Meulensteen, first-team coach, told the press on Friday night: “Stekelenburg is indeed the goalkeeper who is at the top of our wanted list. We have naturally been talking a lot among ourselves about who should replace Van Der Sar. Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken about Stekelenburg with Edwin and that does not seem strange to me at all.”
Fergie admitted he made a mistake in signing Van Der Sar in 2005, and not 1999 – when Peter Schmeichel left the club. He said: “I made a mistake. I should have bought Van Der Sar then (1999), but I didn’t do it. We will be better prepared this time. We have learned from that.”
Any move for 6ft 6in Stekelenburg is likely to take place over the summer, with the resulting consequence of Tomasz Kuszczak leaving the club. While Ben Amos and Anders Lindegaard will fight for a spot in the squad, with the latter set to make his debut against Southampton on Saturday evening in The FA Cup fourth round…