Man United weigh up free summer transfer for ex-Newcastle man, Red Devils 'scouted him' before injury blow

Manchester United are reportedly weighing up a summer move for Preston North End goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, with Tom Heaton set to leave the club once his contract expires at the end of the season.

Heaton, a former Burnley, Aston Villa and Bristol City player, returned to Old Trafford in a back-up role in 2021. He has been with United since and has helped to fill one of their domestic spots to meet the required Premier League quota for homegrown players. The Chester-born goalkeeper turns 39 next week and is not set to be handed a new deal at the Red Devils and could even retire and move into coaching come the end of the season.

United are said to be looking domestically to fill Heaton’s role within the squad. The Red Devils will only have money to spend in the summer transfer window if they can sell some of their current squad. They are set to get some funds by the planned departures of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony - who are all out on loan currently.

Man United eye Freddie Woodman and Aynsley Pears

With budget constraints at the club, United are looking at the free agent market when it comes to bolstering less important positions within the squad. Woodman is out of contract at Preston at the end of the season and will be available on a free transfer in the summer. He spent eight years with Newcastle United but was sent out on numerous loans before joining North End in the summer of 2022.

The Sun’s Alan Nixon has reported the Red Devils are ‘keeping a keen eye’ on Woodman and that they have already scouted him. However, the player has been absent for Preston in recent weeks due to an ankle injury. Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Aynsley Pears is also named as a potential target ahead of the summer. Woodman has kept 13 clean sheets in 37 Championship appearances this season. He has been Preston’s number one since his arrival almost three years ago.

Why Freddie Woodman has not signed a new Preston contract

Addressing the player’s contract situation last month, Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom suggested financial constraints were the reason why Woodman has not agreed a new contract at Deepdale.

He said: “I'm still open to everything. We've signed three or four players now who have stayed, mainly the centre-backs because there's no way we could do all that business in the summer.

“But the only money I've got at present, which I know I'll have, is players' wages. So, yeah, I'm not committing to anything as it stands. That will happen in the next few weeks, definitely: yes and no's and things like that. But I can't commit to it because we'll just have the same group again.

“I want to know exactly what we've got to play with and then you can make better decisions. We're looking at what we can get for the money. If I keep Freddie now, we've got Freddie. You have to all look and if that's the only money you can play with, you've got to play with it... that's it.”