Manchester United intend to play three different goalkeepers between now and the end of the season, with José Mourinho looking to the future after giving up hope of a top-four finish.
David de Gea, as first choice, is likely to start in the Premier League game at Tottenham on Sunday afternoon. Sergio Romero, United’s Europa League goalkeeper, has been promised he will keep his position in the final against Ajax in Stockholm later this month, while Mourinho also has plans to introduce the 20-year-old Joel Pereira in at least one of the fixtures.
“We need three good goalkeepers and we have them, but only two are experienced,” the Manchester United manager said. “Joel is fantastic and I am going to give him a chance to play in the Premier League this season. I couldn’t be happier with the players we have for the position at the moment. We have the goalkeeper of the Spain national team in De Gea, the No1 goalkeeper in Argentina in Romero, and in Pereira we have a young boy that for me is soon going to be the Portuguese No1.”
For Romero, in the difficult position of being first choice for his country in two World Cups but only an occasional performer for his club side, news that Mourinho intends to keep faith with him in Stockholm prompted a mixture of happiness and relief.
“It is not always easy when you work every day to play and you don’t play,” the 30-year-old said. “Sometimes I go back home and I am down but I know I have the power to continue inside me. I am the No1 in Argentina, I have to have a strong mentality. Maybe I don’t play for two months but when the call comes I am ready.”
Romero claims he is happy with his understudy role at United, despite reported interest from Italy and the possibility that, should De Gea move on in the summer, the club is likely to bring in another goalkeeper in his place. “Of course I would like to be No1 but I know what my reality is. People back home are surprised I am at Manchester United, never mind being the No1 or No2.
“I am at a big club, for most of my career I have played in smaller teams. Whatever happens in summer I still want to be here, fighting for a place. I wouldn’t mind finishing my career here but you never know what will happen. I want to go to the World Cup in Russia with the national team, so I need to stay confident and in contention.”
He has played 87 times for his country but has yet to record a century of appearances for any of his European clubs. When he first came from South America it was to play for AZ Alkmaar under Louis van Gaal, which is how he ended up at Old Trafford as backup when it appeared De Gea might leave for Real Madrid. After winning the title in the Netherlands he joined Sampdoria but lost his place after winning promotion and was eventually released following a short loan spell at Monaco.
Romero knows what it means to play in a final – at the end of a semi in which Celta Vigo pushed United all the way the goalkeeper could be seen offering disappointed opponents a shoulder to cry on, and in keeping with his reputation as one of the all-round good guys at Old Trafford he is quick to acknowledge that not everyone gets to be so lucky.
“I am really happy at the moment but in Sweden we will be playing for Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] and for Marcos [Rojo],” he said. “That is the shit part of football, picking up injuries like that. But they both have a lot of power and drive. They will be back.”
