Manchester United keeping tabs on Newcastle United keeper Tim Krul if David de Gea fails to sign new contract

Manchester United are reportedly targeting Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul, if they fail to agree a new contract with David de Gea.

According to the Mirror, the Red Devils are hoping to get the Spanish stopper to put pen-to-paper on a new deal, as he has just 18 months remaining on his current contract and will make a move for the Dutch keeper if the deal falls through.

De Gea has been in imperious form for United this season and has at times single handedly won games for the club. These performances have attracted the interest of La Liga giants Real Madrid, who have earmarked him as the perfect replacement for the ageing Iker Casillas.

The former Atletico Madrid keeper is also in line to replace the Real stopper in the Spanish national team in the future.

Various reports across England on Wednesday are reporting that Louis van Gaal has completed his first January transfer window signing after landing free agent Victor Valdes, who has been training at the Old Trafford club's Carrington training base since his departure from Barcelona in the summer.

This signing has led to speculation regarding De Gea's future, as the report claims that the former Barcelona keeper is not going to be content sitting on the bench.

The report claims that United are keeping a close eye on Magpies keeper Krul, in case their current number one has his head turned by the interest from the 10-time European champions.

The 20-time English champions are set to let their second and third choice keepers leave the club during the ongoing transfer window, leaving only Valdes as backup for De Gea.

The Daily Mail report suggests that the former Atletico keeper's family are very happy in Manchester and would prefer their son to remain with United for the foreseeable future, but they will be powerless to stop the keeper, if he wants to make a return to his homeland and play for the arch rivals of his former club.