According to a recent report by The Sun, Manchester United are eyeing a summer move for Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. The same source has also claimed that the Red Devils have identified the Foxes keeper as a replacement for David De Gea, who has endured a difficult campaign at Old Trafford so far this season.
Schmeichel’s Up And Down Season In The Premier League
Schmeichel experienced a campaign of mixed emotions at the King Power Stadium after suffering the bitter taste of missing out on UEFA Champions League football on the last day of the Premier League campaign. He had participated in 44 matches for the East Midlands giants last season, shipping in 48 goals and securing 14 clean sheets across all competitions, which showcases just how consistent he has been for the Foxes over the past 12 months.
However, the Danish goalie made a nightmare error to end the season when he allowed Man United’s Jesse Lingard to score an easy goal which has tarnished his reputation a bit at Leicester. The Kopenhagen-born talent has averaged 6.5 long balls per game in the Premier League but has sometimes been sloppy with his ball-distribution as evident from his pass completion rate of 75.4% in league football (stats via whoscored).
The 33-year-old has earned 53 senior caps for Denmark but is yet to taste any notable success with his country. Maybe a summer switch to the Theatre of Dreams could help him take his game to the next level so that he can keep his spot in his nation’s first-team for next year’s UEFA European Championship finals.
What Will The Denmark International Bring To Old Trafford?
Schmeichel possesses quick reflexes that allow him to pull off some incredible stops at the back. He is often quite dependable with regards to his positioning and ball-handling but needs to improve his distribution if he wants to be relevant at the highest level in the coming seasons. The Danish keeper has also got a wealth of top-flight experience which makes him a capable option for the Red Devils to consider ahead of the new season.
Is Schmeichel The Right Choice For The Red Devils?
Schmeichel will not only serve as a decent replacement for De Gea but also be a success story for the Mancunian giants with his skills. He could potentially follow in his father, Peter’s footsteps by joining the Red Devils this summer.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in dire need of a capable goalie so that he can build a strong squad capable of challenging for top honours in the years to come. De Gea seems like he has his best years behind him, so it makes sense for Man United to replace the Spaniard with Leicester’s Schmeichel this summer.
With all things considered, he will be a decent choice for the Mancunian giants in the short-term. However, one can argue whether Solskjaer should target a much younger goalkeeper as the Foxes custodian is edging closer towards the twilight years of his football career. Even then, Schmeichel has a good few years left in him to play at a high level which the Red Devils could look to benefit from over the next few seasons.
