Man Utd Complete Signing of Veteran Stoke Goalkeeper Lee Grant for Undisclosed Fee
Manchester United have completed the signing of former Stoke, Derby and Burnley goalkeeper Lee Grant on a short-term contract as extra cover for David de Gea and Sergio Romero for the forthcoming season.
Grant, 35, is believed to have signed a 12-month contract with United and his arrival at Old Trafford is expected to mean that emerging 22-year-old talent Joel Pereira is allowed to spend the 2018/19 campaign out on loan gaining invaluable first team experience.
The move was first announced by a tweet posted on Stoke's official Twitter page, with United going on to confirm the move on their official website. Speaking in his first interview for the club, Grant was understandably delighted to have completed the move.
“Moving to Manchester United has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember." Grant told the club's official website.
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"This was an opportunity that I couldn’t let pass and I’m thrilled to become a part of such a historic club. I’ve enjoyed every moment of my career so far and I’m now ready to continue learning and improving alongside some of the best players in the game.
"But at the same time, I intend to use my experience to help the team whenever possible.
“I want to say a huge thank you to those close to me who have supported me along my journey so far. I’m looking forward to meeting my teammates and giving everything possible for the club in the upcoming season.”
Grant, who is the new signing of the summer so far after Diogo Dalot and Fred, has played over 500 senior games in his career to date and will bring a wealth of experience to United in the event that he is ever called upon to actually play.
After a career spent mostly in the Championship, the veteran only made his Premier League debut in August 2016 when he joined Stoke and filled in for the injured Jack Butland. During that season he was Man of the Match in a 0-0 draw against United at Old Trafford.
De Gea is expected to pledge his long-term future to United after the World Cup by formally signing a recently agreed five-year contract that will see him become the highest paid goalkeeper in the world by a considerable margin, earning wages of around £350,000-per-week.
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Romero, who was brought in as a free agent by Louis van Gaal in 2015 and has always performed when called up, had been linked with a United exit this summer. But, having signed a contract to 2022 last summer, he declared earlier this month that he is happy at Old Trafford.
