The Curious Case Of Victor Valdes And Manchester United

Manchester United has recently given former Barcelona goalkeeper, Victor Valdes an opportunity to complete his rehabilitation and get back to full fitness with the United medical team. The goalkeeper refused to extend his contract at Barcelona last season making him a free agent and many top European clubs were on alert till he damaged his anterior cruciate ligament which has left him out of football since March, 2014 and he is currently without a club.

Despite been linked with a move to Liverpool and Arsenal earlier in the summer, Ospina’s transfer to Arsenal will sure erase any hope of Valdes moving to the Emirates. The wage demand of the 32 year old Spaniard have however affected his move to Anfield with Liverpool probably looking for other options to create competition for their impressive Belgian shot stopper, Mignolet. However Louis van Gaal has played down the importance of the chance given to Valdes claiming he is always willing to help players with his medical team if need be and Valdes situation is not any different from this. Victor Valdes’ proposed move to Monaco was thwarted by his injury and the Spaniard goalkeeper will have to find a club soonest as well as drop his wage demand if he is ever going to play for a top club. A player who seems to be very important for Barcelona just one year back may end up been nothing but a cover-up in most top European teams due his injury and fitness issue.

Manchester United has long been engaged in looking for a competitor for David De Gea who is arguably one of the best young goalkeepers in the world together with Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois. De Gea has recently been linked with a move to Real Madrid owing to disappointing performances from Real Madrid and Spain captain Iker Cassilas. De Gea however has come out to claim he loves life in Manchester and will remain with the red Devils as the club prepare a wage above £100,000 per week to keep their talented goalkeeper who came to the club few years back under Sir Alex Ferguson. This has thrown so much doubt as to whether United will end up signing Victor Valdes. With his level of experience, it’s important for Manchester United to go for such big player while they prepare to discard the services of Andreas Lindergaard who is certainly not good enough to be United’s No 1. With no European football and United’s elimination from the Capital One cup, it’s difficult to find a game time for Victor Valdes and he may as well play very few games this season if he ends up signing for Manchester United. David De Gea is an undisputed No 1 and it will take something special from Valdes to dislodge him but he might not even get the chance to as fans and managers are strongly behind De Gea.

With the recent drop of Petr Cech for Thibaut Courtois in Chelsea, football has shown recently that quality have less to do with age and experience especially if the young lads have also been exposed accordingly. Valdes will be a very good replacement for Lindergaard but only if he agrees to play a reduced role even when United gets a European ticket but it’s left to be seen if Manchester United will sign him up.