Manchester United: Peter Schmeichel questions pursuit of Ajax goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen

Peter Schmeichel appears to have cast doubt on any potential Manchester United move for Jasper Cillessen, hinting manager Louis van Gaal may not have total faith in the Ajax goalkeeper's abilities as evidenced by a key decision made at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

In what was seen as a particularly risky and unusual move with the Netherlands locked at 0-0 with Costa Rica deep into extra-time of their quarter-final clash at the Arena Fonte Nova, then manager Van Gaal decided to use his final substitution to replace the 26-year-old with Tim Krul in anticipation of penalties.

Although that decision ultimately paid dividends, as the Newcastle stalwart saved efforts from Bryan Ruiz and Michael Umana to send the Dutch into the last four where they would eventually lose to Argentina in another shootout, Schmeichel believes it is indicative of a lack of trust that could prove problematic in the event that Cillessen did move to Old Trafford amid persistent rumours linking David de Gea with Real Madrid.

"Cillesen is a good goalkeeper but, if you go back to the World Cup, they took him off ahead of a penalty shoot-out," Schmeichel, who won five Premier League titles, the Champions League and three FA Cups during an eight-year stint as United's first-choice between the posts back in the 1990s, told Talksport. "That tells you there is something there and that Van Gaal doesn't trust him 100%. I wouldn't like a goalkeeper like that at Manchester United."

Although De Gea has recently been named in Van Gaal's squad for the upcoming two-legged Champions League play-off tie against Club Brugge, uncertainty regarding his future still persists, with the player having been omitted from the team entirely for the 1-0 victory over Tottenham.

His manager cited an inevitable loss of focus on the Spaniard's part for his reason to instead opt for free agent signing Sergio Romero and 22-year-old Sam Johnstone in his matchday squad, although Van Gaal refused to rule out of the possibility of De Gea representing the club once again in the future.

Former United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich recently talked up the credentials of Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris as a more suitable replacement than Cillessen and it is a view that Schmeichel would seem to further endorse.

He said: "I'd like Lloris to go there. He fits the bill. He's exactly what Man United needs, someone who's brave enough to sweep up. With Courtois he is one of only two 'keepers who controls their box and that's what United need more than anything. And he's proven in the Premier League and that's very important."