Transfer News: Manchester United close to signing Southend goalkeeper Nathan Bishop

Manchester United are reportedly closing in on the capture of 20-year-old goalkeeper Nathan Bishop from Southend United.

As per a report from the Daily Mail, Manchester United are closing in on signing Southend United goalkeeper Nathan Bishop, with the Shrimpers’ manager Sol Campbell the 20-year-old is on the verge of leaving the club.

Bishop is a product of the Southend United academy and made his first-team debut back in December 2017. Since then, the youngster has gone on to feature 38 times for the club, managing just four clean sheets in the process. The ongoing campaign has seen Bishop make 16 appearances in all competitions, with no shut-outs.

While he may have conceded 46 goals this season, Bishop has still managed to make an impression with his performances, resulting in interest from a number of clubs from the top-tier. And, as per the report, Manchester United seem to have beaten everyone to the signing of the Englishman.

Bishop missed Southend’s game on Tuesday against Doncaster, as he was undergoing a medical. Confirming that his goalkeeper is on his way out, manager Sol Campbell said: “He’s having a medical. I don’t know where but if he passes the medical he’s gone.”

And the report states that it is indeed Manchester United who will be signing the goalkeeper, who has one appearance for the England U-20 side.

There had been a lot of furore on Tuesday when a player turned up for his medical at Manchester United, with many believing that the Red Devils were set to sign midfield sensation Sander Berge from Genk. However, it later emerged that it was indeed a goalkeeper that had arrived at the club’s facility and not the Norwegian international.

It now seems that the goalkeeper who did undergo the medical at Manchester United at Old Trafford was Bishop. The 20-year-old is likely to slot into the Red Devils’ reserve team where he will compete with Matej Kovar, given that there is no place for him with the first-team where David de Gea and Sergio Romero are the primary options with Lee Grant the backup.

It has been slow going for Manchester United in the transfer window and fans will be hoping that things start to kick off now following the imminent arrival of Bishop. The 20-time English champions are close to completing the signing of long-term target Bruno Fernandes as well, while a forward remains a priority for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.