Arsenal and Manchester United to compete for Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg

Bidding for Netherlands star will start at £9 million

Maarten Stekelenburg, Netherlands and Ajax (Getty Images)

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<!-- if (!ord) var ord = Math.round(Math.random() * 100000000); dblClickIndex++; document.write('<iframe class="ad364x80" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/gna.uk/betting;tile=' + dblClickIndex + ';sz=364x80;ord=' + ord + '?area=2l&ord=' + ord + '" ');document.write(' noresize="noresize" scrolling="no" hspace="0" vspace="0" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" allowTransparency="true" width="364" height="80">');document.write('<scr');document.write('ipt type="text/javascript" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/');document.write('gna.uk/betting;tile=' + dblClickIndex + ';sz=364x80;ord=' + ord + '?area=2l&ord=' + ord + '">');document.write('</scr');document.write('ipt>');document.write('</ifra United sold Ben Foster to Birmingham for £6m after Ferguson decided that he was not good enough to cement a permanent place in goal at Old Trafford.

Ajax are braced for a January bidding war between Manchester United and Arsenal for goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

The Premier League giants have both been scouting the 6ft 6" shot-stopper in recent weeks and are set to do battle for the Netherlands international when the transfer window opens.

But the bidding for Stekelenburg will start at £9 million, with Ajax refusing to let him leave on the cheap.

The 28-year-old was watched by United scouts as he starred for the Netherlands against Finland last month and again last week when he played for Ajax against AC Milan in the Champions League.

Arsenal have also sent representatives to watch Stekelenburg in recent weeks as manager Arsene Wenger finally looks to address his goalkeeping situation and bring in a reliable No.1 to replace the error-prone Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski.

The Gunners have been heavily linked with 37-year-old Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer but Stekelenburg represents a more realistic long-term option.

Neither club have yet made a formal bid for Stekelenburg, who has spent his whole career at Ajax since making his debut in February 2002. But they could be set to go head-to-head in January in a two-way battle for his signature.

The future's Oranje | Maarten Stekelenburg is a match-winner for club and country

“They have both been watching him very closely recently,” an Ajax insider told Goal.com UK.

“Ajax are expecting offers for the player in January but a top class goalkeeper is not cheap – and he is top class.

“We accept that he would like to join one of these big clubs and he wants to play in England.”

Goal.com UK understands that Ajax will not stand in Stekelenburg’s way if he wants to move, but they are hopeful that he might commit to staying in Amsterdam until the end of the season as a show of loyalty.

Stekelenburg was in fine form for the Netherlands at the World Cup this summer, playing a pivotal role in his country’s run to the final against Spain.

He is believed to have been recommended to United manager Sir Alex Ferguson by Edwin van der Sar, the 39-year-old who is in the final year of his playing contract at Old Trafford.

Ferguson has been linked with a number of other goalkeepers, including Atletico Madrid’s David de Gea and Anders Lindegaard of Norwegian side Aalesund.

But Stekelenburg appears to be at the front of the queue following the recommendation from Van der Sar, who he replaced as Netherlands goalkeeper after the United keeper’s retirement from international football.

Htok22

7 Oct 10, 19:29

is he good?

Asromanista2001

7 Oct 10, 20:17

this guy so -so lah................plus so old already...........

Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1)

7 Oct 10, 20:32

Lolx

I wan De Gea

Just_do_it_lah

7 Oct 10, 20:48

Originally posted by Asromanista2001:

this guy so -so lah................plus so old already...........

Old ? for goalkeeper, 28 is ok ! GK can play until their late 30s or even early 40s.

Edwin Van Der Sar is almost 40 (BD 29 Oct 1970).. still going strong !

CKeer

7 Oct 10, 21:53

I think he's average, just that he's of similar built as Van Der Sar thats why the comparison - Both are tall and lanky.

gunner77

8 Oct 10, 00:01

I still remember stekelenburg make a good save against spain in the final.

Can't forget man.

It was goal bounded.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfrRWfgbTNI

United and Arsenal to battle for Â£9m Stekelenburg

Arsenal and Manchester United to compete for Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg

Bidding for Netherlands star will start at £9 million