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Ferguson plans to swoop for new Schmeichel
Sir Alex Ferguson has set his sights on landing the new Peter Schmeichel.
The Manchester United manager is targeting Danish keeper Anders Lindegaard as he looks for a long-term successor to Edwin van der Sar.
Ferguson has been monitoring the 26-year-old, who plays for Norwegian side Aalesunds and is considering a bid, having sold £6m Ben Foster to Birmingham this summer.
United know they are running out of time to find a replacement for Van der Sar, who has one year left on his contract and turns 40 in October.
Fergie has run the rule over a host of Europe’s top keepers, including Germany’s Manuel Neuer, France international Hugo Lloris, CSKA Moscow’s Igor Akinfeev and Sebastien Frey of Fiorentina.
But Lindegaard would represent a cut-price option, much in the way that Schmeichel was when he arrived from Brondby for £550,000 in 1991.
The Great Dane still stands out as one of Fergie’s best buys.
Lindegaard’s agent is former Liverpool goalkeeper Michael Stensgaard who confirmed that his player is being watched by a host of top clubs.
“Anders has been playing at a very high level for a long time now and that has been noticed around Europe. He absolutely has the ability to play in the Premier League.”
Lindegaard is under contract until 2012, but would be available at a fraction of the cost of United’s other targets.
Ferguson will be happy to wait until the end of the season before making a move after van der Sar signed a one-year extension. But his hand could be forced if one of Lindegaard’s other suitors steps in with a bid in the meantime.
He wants to give young keeper Ben Amos the chance to prove he can be van der Sar’s long-term successor before splashing the cash, having promoted the 20-year-old to No3.
Ferguson is hopeful he can succeed where a long line of talented youngsters have failed and establish himself as a future No1 at United.
He has sent Amos a clear message that the door is open, to one day become first choice at Old Trafford.
“We think he is an outstanding young goalkeeper,” he said. “He has an incredible physique and is improving his speed.
“When it comes to experience, he will have to wait because Edwin van der Sar is still showing good form and Tomasz Kuszczak is very good too. But his time will come because he has got the ability.”
Amos’s chance has arisen because of Foster’s failure to establish himself as No1 last season. It eventually led to a move to Birmingham, with Ferguson losing patience with a player he once described as the best goalkeeper in England.
Which is why Amos should take his manager’s praise with a pinch of salt. Other promising keepers like Tom Heaton, Luke Steele, Nick Culkin and Kevin Pilkington have all failed to make the grade at the club.
Ferguson has consistently splashed the cash for goalkeepers with Schmeichel, Fabien Barthez and van der Sar his most successful No1s. And he is ready to spend again to replace Van der Sar, having kept tabs on a stellar list of potential replacements.
Ferguson plans to swoop for new Schmeichel
Sir Alex Ferguson has set his sights on landing the new Peter Schmeichel.
The Manchester United manager is targeting Danish keeper Anders Lindegaard as he looks for a long-term successor to Edwin van der Sar.
Ferguson has been monitoring the 26-year-old, who plays for Norwegian side Aalesunds and is considering a bid, having sold £6m Ben Foster to Birmingham this summer.
United know they are running out of time to find a replacement for Van der Sar, who has one year left on his contract and turns 40 in October.
Fergie has run the rule over a host of Europe’s top keepers, including Germany’s Manuel Neuer, France international Hugo Lloris, CSKA Moscow’s Igor Akinfeev and Sebastien Frey of Fiorentina.
But Lindegaard would represent a cut-price option, much in the way that Schmeichel was when he arrived from Brondby for £550,000 in 1991.
The Great Dane still stands out as one of Fergie’s best buys.
Lindegaard’s agent is former Liverpool goalkeeper Michael Stensgaard who confirmed that his player is being watched by a host of top clubs.
“Anders has been playing at a very high level for a long time now and that has been noticed around Europe. He absolutely has the ability to play in the Premier League.”
Lindegaard is under contract until 2012, but would be available at a fraction of the cost of United’s other targets.
Ferguson will be happy to wait until the end of the season before making a move after van der Sar signed a one-year extension. But his hand could be forced if one of Lindegaard’s other suitors steps in with a bid in the meantime.
He wants to give young keeper Ben Amos the chance to prove he can be van der Sar’s long-term successor before splashing the cash, having promoted the 20-year-old to No3.
Ferguson is hopeful he can succeed where a long line of talented youngsters have failed and establish himself as a future No1 at United.
He has sent Amos a clear message that the door is open, to one day become first choice at Old Trafford.
“We think he is an outstanding young goalkeeper,” he said. “He has an incredible physique and is improving his speed.
“When it comes to experience, he will have to wait because Edwin van der Sar is still showing good form and Tomasz Kuszczak is very good too. But his time will come because he has got the ability.”
Amos’s chance has arisen because of Foster’s failure to establish himself as No1 last season. It eventually led to a move to Birmingham, with Ferguson losing patience with a player he once described as the best goalkeeper in England.
Which is why Amos should take his manager’s praise with a pinch of salt. Other promising keepers like Tom Heaton, Luke Steele, Nick Culkin and Kevin Pilkington have all failed to make the grade at the club.
Ferguson has consistently splashed the cash for goalkeepers with Schmeichel, Fabien Barthez and van der Sar his most successful No1s. And he is ready to spend again to replace Van der Sar, having kept tabs on a stellar list of potential replacements.
