Tomasz Kuszczak warns David de Gea: It is going to be a tough task replacing Edwin van der Sar at Manchester United

UEFA Champions League,Tomasz Kuszczak,Manchester United(Getty Images)

Related Links

Teams

Players

By Wayne Veysey | Chief correspondent

Tomasz Kuszczak has warned that Edwin van der Sar’s successor will have a “difficult” job replacing the Manchester United legend.

David de Gea is expected to complete a switch to Old Trafford from Atletico Madrid next month but Kuszczak is in no doubt about the size of the task facing the 20-year-old Spaniard.

The Poland international said: “Things have changed now because obviously Edwin has finished and it doesn’t matter which goalkeeper’s going to come to Manchester United in the Premier League, it’s going to be difficult for him because I know this league is a really tough league and the first team can lose against the last team.

“Edwin is a terrific goalkeeper and I learnt a lot. He put me on the bench for a long, long time and I don’t think there is any goalkeeper in the world who can put him on the bench. That’s why it is not a surprise I sit on the bench.

“I came to this club five years ago with big hope that I was going to get the chance and a chance to play regularly, but Edwin never gave up and he always played well.

“He was, you can say, one of the best players in the team and obviously it was difficult to push him out.

“Now he’s finished and we are good friends. We spent a lot of nice moments together and I wish him all the best. We’re going to keep in touch and I can still learn a lot from him.”

Kuszczak, 29, accepts he does not fit the bill for Sir Alex Ferguson and will weigh up offers from home and abroad over the next few weeks before deciding his future.

“I love the Premier League, I know this league, I’ve been playing here for seven years now and I like this league,” he said. “But all doors are open for me.

“I would like to play football regularly and if I’m going to get a nice proposal from a different league, why not? I’m going to think about that.

“It’s difficult to show something based on one game in a month because we know in football, like in different sports, you have to have some games in a row, be on the pitch and then you can build up your confidence and do different things.

“I didn’t get the chance enough over a few years but I don’t know what is going to happen with me to be honest although, of course, it’s going to be sorted soon.”

Our  provides the best breaking news online and our  football fan community is unmatched worldwide. Never miss a thing again!