The signing of Victor Valdes added to Manchester United’s new embarrassment of riches under Louis van Gaal who now has two Spain international goalkeepers in his squad.
First choice custodian David de Gea has been United’s outstanding player this season.
If not for the brilliant saves of the former Atletico Madrid gloveman, more points would have been dropped and van Gaal’s transition to Old Trafford might have been a lot bumpier.
The third-place Red Devils host fourth-place Southampton on Sunday with ongoing speculation about other players who may be acquired in 2015.
van Gaal is reportedly on the lookout for a defensive midfielder and a central defender.
Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane, Roma’s Kevin Strootman, Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godin are all on the club's radar — for either the January transfer window or once the 2014-2015 season is over.
By starting his Manchester chapter, Valdes reunites with his former Barcelona boss van Gaal.
He broke into the Catalan club’s first team in 2002 when the Dutchman was in charge and went on to play an incredible 521 games for them over a dozen years.
Turning 33 on January 14, Valdes has plenty of good years ahead. He is a self-confessed lover of British football, with such passionate crowds and tradition.
de Gea’s contract is up next year and some doomsayers are speculating that Valdes’s presence might prompt him to look at his long-term future with a different club. He also has just four full Spain caps compared to 20 for Valdes and is almost nine years younger.
But former English Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop says that remaining at Manchester United could actually help the 24-year-old become a better player.
“This might be exactly what de Gea needs and may convince him to stay,” Hislop said on the ESPN FC TV show. “Yes, they are competing for the same shirt, but goalkeepers don’t have that same animosity in their competition for places that outfield players do. It may serve the young de Gea well with 18 months left on his contract.”
Clean sheetIt is essential that de Gea keeps a clean sheet on Sunday for the visit of an in-form Southampton side as Man United looks to extend its unbeaten run.
The match against Ronald Koeman’s Saints is the most difficult of a rather benign set of fixtures for the 20-time English champion that takes it to the middle of March.
That’s when it will face Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea in just over a month.
Even third-choice keeper Anders Lindegaard — now tipped to be on his way out of Old Trafford — would have few problems keeping clean sheets against the likes of QPR, Cambridge, Leicester, Burnley and Sunderland who will face United in January and February.
(Jason Dasey is Senior Editor of ESPNFC and the former host of SportsCenter India and Sportsline)
