Manchester United are strongly considering a summer move for Lucas Chevalier after learning how much they will need to pay for the Lille goalkeeper and with the Red Devils now aware of the two reasons why they can feel optimistic about securing his signing.
It’s been a tough first few months at the helm for new manager Ruben Amorim, who has learned very quickly that the Manchester United he inherited from Erik ten Hag needs serious surgery if they are to challenge for the game’s very top honours again. However, Thursday night’s thumping win over Real Sociedad moved the Red Devils into the Europa League quarter-finals and revved up hopes that the 2024/25 campaign could at least end on a high note.
Even so, Amorim knows a big summer lies ahead and, alongside technical director Jason Wilcox and director or recruitment Christopher Vivell, plenty of tough decisions over the make-up of their squad for next season lie ahead.
One of those positions now very much under threat is in goal. Andre Onana was signed two summers ago as the successor to David De Gea, but after an indifferent spell at Old Trafford that has been laced with several high-profile bloopers, it seems a changing of the guard is on the cards.
According to strong reports, the man that United’s transfer committee are set to hone in on is Chevalier.
The Lille goalkeeper has been in sublime form this season for the French side and, but for his heroics, their eventual 2-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last-16 would have been significantly heavier. Indeed, the 23-year-old made four astonishing first-half saves to keep out wave after wave of Dortmund attack – and that form has now been rewarded with a place in the France squad.
Now according to Givemesport, United scouts are closely following Chevalier – described in their report as one of the ‘world’s leading custodians’ – and now it’s claimed that optimism is growing that a deal can be secured after Amorim learned the conditions around a potential summer deal.
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How much Man Utd would need to pay for Lille goalkeeper
United are not the first side to have expressed an interest in the 23-year-old keeper. Indeed, he was the subject of reported interest from both Manchester City and Barcelona during the January window, though neither side came forward with an offer.
Reports in France also claim Chelsea are hot on his trail, though the Blues have continued to persist with both Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen, despite neither covering themselves in glory. PSG coach Luis Enrique is also an admirer, with Gianluigi Donnarumma’s deal due to expire in summer 2026.
Newcastle have also been credited with an interest.
As a result of the high interest in his services, GMS reports that Lille are adamant that the keeper will command a big fee and have set a €40m (£33.7m, $43.6m) asking price on his head.
However, with just two years left on his deal, it’s reported that an offer matching that price would tempt Lille to sell.
Furthermore, the fact that the keeper currently earns a meagre £20,000 a week leaves Lille vulnerable to the player himself pushing to leave, especially knowing he could earn significantly more by moving to the Premier League.
Knowing all that, the GMS report states that United will continue to monitor Chevalier closely over the coming months after what they described as a private discussion over whether to offload Onana in the summer.
In addition to Chevalier, TEAMtalk contributor Ben Jacobs has revealed United are also tracking James Trafford and Joan Garcia.
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Meanwhile, United also hope to sign a new striker and we understand Amorim has been given the green light to push for a reunion with Viktor Gyokeres this summer.
However, any move is far from straightforward and TEAMtalk sources have highlighted two major hurdles they must overcome to win the race for his signature.
Elsewhere, United’s man of the moment, Bruno Fernandes, has confirmed he rejected a serious offer to leave Old Trafford last summer. Given his importance to the Red Devils this season – and his staggering record in Europe – Amorim and Co. will be seriously glad that he decided to stick around. Legendary status might be too strong just yet, but he’s definitely up there with the modern greats at Old Trafford.
One man who could depart, though, is Kobbie Mainoo and now reports have indicated that one of the world’s premier clubs have identified the teenager as a potential summer target – and with a big fee being mooted.
IN-FOCUS: Who is Lucas Chevalier?
➡️ Lucas Chevalier was born in Calais, northern France, back in November 2001. He is 23 and stands 6ft 2in.
➡️ Joining Lille as a 10-year-old, he was worked his way up through their academy and was third-choice keeper – behind Mike Maignan and Orestis Karnezis – as the French side won the Ligue 1 title in the 2020/21 season.
➡️ To gain more experience, Chevalier spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan with Ligue 2 Valenciennes, making his professional debut against Pau. He went on to play 30 times that season.
➡️In September 2022, with Maignon long since departed for Milan, Chevalier made his debut for Lille, putting in a commanding display against Marseille.
➡️ A few weeks later, Chevalier proved his huge potential by saving a penalty kick as Lille recorded a 1-0 win over Lens in the La Voix du Nord.
➡️Having represented his country from Under-18s level, caps then followed for France Under-21s, where he has appeared six times.
➡️ In October 2024, in his third season for Lille, Chevalier produced a man-of-the-match performance against Real Madrid in the Champions League, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win. The notoriously tough L’Equipe awarded Chevalier a 9/10 rating for the match.
➡️ Chevalier was also called for the France squad for the summer Olympics, alongside his teammates Leny Yoro (now at Man Utd) and Bafode Diakite. However, with Lille involved in UCL qualifying, he was limited to just one appearance in the tournament, in which France finished as runners-up to Spain.
➡️Chevalier received his first call-up for France in November 2024, with Didier Deschamps this week announcing he was retaining his services for the latest round of international fixtures coming up later this month.