Manchester United are reportedly closing in on their third transfer of the summer window, with Lee Grant set to join from Stoke City.
Manchester United are on the verge of completing a shock deal to sign veteran goakeeper Lee Grant from relegated club Stoke City, as per reports from the Mirror.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is understood to be keen on making the 35-year old as the third-choice keeper at the Old Trafford, as back up for David De Gea and Sergio Romero. And the club are poised to complete a £1.5 million move for Grant, with the player set to undergo a medical this week.
The 35-year old started off his career at Derby County in 2000 and has had subsequent spells with Burnley, Oldham Athletic (on loan), Sheffield Wednesday. The Englishman is currently under contract with EFL Championship side Stoke City, having first joined the Potters on loan in the 2016/17 campaign to provide cover for the injured England goalkeeper Jack Butland.
In October 2016, during Mourinho’s first season as the Manchester United manager, Grant put in a Man of the Match display for Stoke as they held the Red Devils to a 1-1 draw at the Old Trafford, earning their first ever point at the Theatre of Dreams since 1980. Last season, however, he only managed to make just five appearances in all competitions, playing second fiddle to the fit-again Butland, as the Potters were relegated from the Premier League.
Grant represented the England national team at various youth levels, but has never been selected for the Three Lions’ senior side.
The main motive for Manchester United signing the 35-year old is understood to be the fact that Mourinho wants promising young goalkeeper, Joel Pereira, to spend the next season out on loan and continue his development.
The 22-year old Portuguese is held in high regard within the club and has attracted interest from clubs in Italy and Spain. However, his chances in the first-team are likely to be limited, with De Gea and Romero ahead in the pecking order. Bringing in Grant will allow Pereira to move away on a temporary spell and gain some valuable first-team experience elsewhere.
Having already loaned out exciting goalkeeping prospect Dean Henderson to Sheffield United, after he signed a new deal with the club, the 20-time English champions are also considering to offload another academy graduate Sam Johnstone this summer.
The 25-year old entered the final year of his contract this month, and has no interest in penning a new deal. Last season’s bottom feeders West Bromwich Albion are pursuing the Englishman, with a £6.5 million deal understood to be in the works.
