VAN GAAL’S BIG GAMBLE
United boss may risk rookie Johnstone as dropped de Gea looks set to exit
LOUIS van Gaal was last night considering one of the biggest g a mbl e s of his managerial career as he pondered whether to hand young goalkeeper Sam Johnstone a Barclays Premier League debut at home to Tottenham today.
Van Gaal yesterday made his stunning pronouncement, revealing No 1 goalkeeper David de Gea would play no part in today’s game after struggling for focus amid the speculation of a proposed transfer to Real Madrid.
The manager’s decision threw United’s plans for today’s game into confusion and immediately placed pressure on Old Trafford vice- chariman Ed Woodward to sell de Gea to Madrid before the end of the transfer window on August 31.
However, it is the identity of the Spaniard’s replacement today that will most intrigue United fans, as none of the club’s reserve keepers would appear to be in the ideal position to step up.
Van Gaal brought in Argentina international Sergio Romero two weeks ago and t he f ormer Sampdoria and Monaco keeper has been earmarked as United’s back- up to de Gea. But the 28-year-old has not played a club game since January, when he appeared in the Italian Cup.
With Anders Lindegaard available for transfer and recently injured — and Victor Valdes so far out of f avour he hasn’t even been allocated a squad number, it would appear that van Gaal faces a straight choice between Romero and young Johnstone.
The 22-year-old has not played a competitive game for United but had a full season on loan for Preston in League One last year — including a winning Play-Off final at Wembley — and, crucially, appeared in all four of his club’s pre-season tour games in America.
United told Preston last week that Johnstone would not be able to return to them on loan for this campaign until the situation at Old Trafford had been sorted out.
Meanwhile, those close to the young keeper confirmed last night that he is expecting to figure in today’s match- day squad at the very least.
Yesterday, van Gaal revealed t hat de Gea has been unsettled by the uncertainty about his future and it would appear that there is no way back into the United team for last season’s Player of the Year.
Van Gaal also expressed his f r ustration that the transfer window remains open after the domestic seasons across Europe have started and said: ‘I don’t know the solution with de Gea. I cannot lead this process, I can only watch and observe and t hat i s what I am doing. I am not participating in it.
‘But he will not play. I don’t have any concerns about that.
‘You will have to wait and see who plays. ‘We have observed him and seen him in training and matches — and he is not the David de Gea of last season. ‘He tries, he does his upmost best, but it is a difficult situation.
‘Now we have to play our first match and this is a most important one, so I only want players who can focus on this game.
‘I think when it is the first of September, a decision is made as the transfer period is over.
‘You then have to manage a new situation, which is easier.
‘I am the victim, the other players are the victim and the club is the victim. That is why the transfer period needs to change.’
Manchester United’s stance this summer — at least at boardroom level — has been that de Gea would not be sold and would only leave if Real Madrid agreed a swap deal with their Spanish international defender Sergio Ramos.
That position, however, has now l eft United saddled with an unhappy player and it is clear that van Gaal wants him sold.
Indeed, his decision to drop de Gea could even be an attempt to speed up t hat process and essentially prompt a change of policy from Woodward.
Van Gaal added: ‘ David is the best goalkeeper we have had. He was nominated by the fans as the best player at the club. Do you think the coach wants him to leave?
‘In the last few years, Manchester United have paid a lot (for players), but we haven’t received a lot of money.’
Meanwhile, midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, United’s £14million signing, from Bayern Munich, misses out today as he is considered not yet match-fit.