David de Gea has a lot of pressure on his shoulders in replacing Edwin van der Sar – former Manchester United goalkeeper Roy Carroll

David De Gea, Atletico de Madrid (Getty Images)

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Former Manchester United goalkeeper Roy Carroll has warned the incoming David de Gea that he has huge boots to fill in replacing Edwin van der Sar.

The Northern Irishman played at Old Trafford for four years between 2001 and 2005, and says that the intensity and pressure is very high at the top, with the Spaniard in for a tough transition at a club with big expectations.

“Edwin van der Sar has done really well for Manchester United over the last few years and this young keeper is coming to the biggest club in the world – he’s got a lot of pressure on his shoulders,” Carroll told talkSPORT.

“Manchester United is the sort of club that want to win every trophy and the pressure of playing for United is a big thing.”

Sir Alex Ferguson has spent heavily this summer having already recruited Phil Jones and Ashley Young, and the signing of De Gea is expected to take the club’s spending spree over the £50 million mark.

Carroll admitted that the reported £18m fee for the Spaniard is perhaps excessive given his lack of experience.

“It’s a lot of money for a 20-year-old keeper but Sir Alex Ferguson knows what he’s doing and I think in the last couple of years De Gea has proved how good he is in the Spanish league,” he said.

“He’s played a lot of games in Spain and in the European Under-21 Championship.

“I think Sir Alex will have been watching him for quite a while and I’m looking forward to seeing him play in the Premier League.”