Feyenoord goalkeeper Justin Bijlow would be open to a ‘big transfer’ to Manchester United this summer, according to De Telegraaf’s Marcel van der Kraan.
The Red Devils are expected to invest on a new shot-stopper in the current transfer window, and they have recently been linked with Inter Milan’s Andre Onana.
Onana could be signed in a deal worth €60 million, but it is claimed that United could turn their attention elsewhere due to their limited summer budget (€130m).
Bijlow is one of the players under consideration, and Van der Kraan reports that the Red Devils value the 25-year-old at just one third of Onana’s price tag.
There has been contact between Feyenoord and United at the management level, but the Red Devils have yet to show any intention of making a formal bid.
Bijlow is currently considering his options. It is reported that he will set his sights on a move to United if manager Erik ten Hag decides to go for him.
Bijlow could be pursued as Onana alternative
Onana is presently the priority goalkeeper target for United. The Cameroonian was managed by Ten Hag at Ajax for four-and-a-half seasons before his move to Inter.
The 27-year-old is a superb ball-playing keeper, but he has also impressed with his high claims and ability to operate as a sweeper-keeper when the situation requires.
He would be a brilliant acquisition for the Red Devils, but the big question is whether United will make a huge outlay on him with their limited pre-sales budget.
If United opt for a cheaper alternative, Bijlow could emerge as a realistic option. The Dutchman recently guided Feyenoord to the league title after a 24-year wait.
The 25-year-old is a progressive goalkeeper similar to Onana. In the recent campaign, he made 14 per cent of his passes in Eredivisie from outside the box.
Meanwhile, Bijlow is also good when coming off his line and can put in a challenge when needed. Last season, he won eight tackles, four outside of his own box.
His long ball distribution is not the best, but he lost possession on just 6.2 occasions per league game last term, much better than Onana (8.1 times per outing).
In our opinion, Onana should be United’s priority to strengthen the goalkeeping department, but we won’t be surprised if they turn their attention to Bijlow.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com
