The immediacy in which Swansea number one Michel Vorm has established himself as a Premier League keeper – along with a string of scintillating performances – was always going to attract some top level interest.
What is surprising however is just how soon it took for the big clubs to start circling.
Tottenham have already made tentative enquires as to the Dutchman’s availability though it is felt they are holding fire until the summer with Vorm’s young countryman Tim Krul their preferred target. Additionally the consistent form of their ever-durable veteran Brad Friedel has persuaded them to wait until the end of the season as they see little point in using up limited funds to purchase someone who will spend the following months warming the bench as back-up.
However Swansea City director John van Zweden yesterday confirmed that there had been contact made from Manchester United and here some immediate movement may be a possibility.
United have been underwhelmed by the erratic displays of their £20M prospect David De Gea and while everyone at the club still firmly believes the Spanish 21-year old will eventually come good his development in the short term surely lies elsewhere away from the pressure-pot of Old Trafford.
Though De Gea’s current replacement Anders Lindegaard has been a notable improvement he too has shown disturbing moments of fallibility and with United desperate to prevent their neighbours City from procuring a league title this term Alex Ferguson believes a solid, reliable keeper is a must for the run-in.
The outstanding form of Vorm his placed him directly in Ferguson’s sights and Swansea will be hard-pressed to prevent the switch occurring and losing their star man who only moved to Wales in July.
A fee in the region of £6M will represent a healthy profit on their £1M outlay and a possible intriguing caveat to the deal could mean that De Gea himself is loaned to the Jacks next season in a bid to toughen him up and acclimatise him to the English game.