Manchester United have been fighting all summer to keep star goalkeeper David De Gea, but with the Spaniard left out of the match day squad altogether against Tottenham, it appears he is on his way back to Real Madrid.
With the likelihood of De Gea leaving, rumours have intensified that manager Louis Van Gaal is trying to bring in Ajax keeper Jasper Cillessen.
However, Ajax manager Frank De Boer has warned Van Gaal that the Dutch internationals signature is costing more and more as each week passes.
The reasoning for this is that Ajax have missed out on their own targets, in Marteen Stekelenburg, who joined Southampton, and Wojciech Szczęsny who has joined Italian side A.S. Roma on loan. Due to their own failures in the transfer market, Frank De Boer has admitted his club must adapt a tough stance on the player.
Tough attitude
The Ajax manager explained that United "will have to pay huge price for Cillessen," going on to say "Let it be clear that we are going to take a really strong attitude and we will fight against him leaving at this stage."
It is clear that De Boer is not going to give up on keeping the 26 year old international without a fight due to his importance to the club.
De Boer admits some offers can’t be turned down
Whilst the 45-year-old Dutch manager has made it clear that he is not going to let Cillessen go easily, he did admit to that "Jasper is getting more expensive by the week," and that there "are certain figures that we can't turn down."
It would seem that the financial power of Manchester United may be just too much for the Ajax owners to turn down, forcing the hand of Frank De Boer, if United want him that badly.
Where would Cillessen fit in the pecking order at United?
With De Gea appearing to be all but gone, Victor Valdes asking to leave and Anders Lindegaard unsure of his future, the role of first team keepers have been given to new signing Sergio Romero and a product of the youth team, in Sam Johnstone, being promoted to second choice.
Cillessen has made 66 appearances for Ajax and 21 for the Netherlands first team, including starting every single match in the 2014 World Cup, where under the guidance of Louis Van Gaal, they finished third.
It would be very unlikely that a keeper of Cillessens’ stature would be happy to sign as anything less than being the clubs number one keeper, or at least being given a chance to prove himself.
The impressive performance of Romero on his debut against Tottenham, however reduces Cillessen’s chances of becoming the instant number one and could put the keeper off from joining.
