Man Utd prepare De Gea backup plan as scouts watch Bayern humble young target

Premier League interest is growing in RB Salzburg goalkeeper Philipp Kohn after Manchester United scouted the highly-rated ace.

The Swiss shot-stopper, 23, is under contract until 2025 at the Austrian league leaders but he has a growing list of admirers after keeping 13 clean sheets this season. The 6ft 3in goalkeeper had a night to forget when his side lost 7-1 at Bayern Munich in the Champions League in March, when United scouts reportedly attended as Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick. But Salzburg have conceded just 13 goals in their domestic league and Kohn has a growing reputation.

The Swiss U21 keeper, who was born in Germany, has recently broken into the full national team squad. Top-flight scouts from England have been making regular checks on him this year. Among his potential destinations is Old Trafford according to reports in his native Switzerland, but Mirror Football understands that there is plenty of other interest from Premier League clubs.

United are assessing their goalkeeping options ahead of the summer, with David De Gea's contract up in 2023. Dean Henderson is the second choice while veteran back up keepers Tom Heaton, 35, is out of contract next summer and Lee Grant, 39, is out of contract this summer. United are therefore likely to want to bring in at least one more back-up 'keeper this summer but have also been linked with Sevilla No.1 Yassine Bounou.

Henderson, who was previously loaned to Sheffield United from 2018-2020, is contracted to United until 2025 and earns around £120,000-a-week. The star has been unsettled this season due to his lack of action but stayed in January to continue to battle it out with De Gea for the No.1 shirt.

His lack of action has seen him lose his place in the England squad where Jordan Pickford is first choice ahead of Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale, Sam Johnstone and Fraser Forster, who was recalled last month. It has been a frustrating season for Henderson who was told in the summer he had a great chance to start the season as the United No.1.

Have Your Say! Should De Gea remain Man Utd's No.1 goalkeeper? Join the debate here.

But Henderson contracted Covid-19 in late July and he was laid low for over a month. De Gea then started the season unchallenged and has regained form. Henderson didn't make his first appearance until September 22 in a 1-0 home Carabao Cup loss to West Ham and his last game was in the FA Cup exit to Middlesbrough on February 4.

United boss Ralf Rangnick has admitted it has not been easy to satisfy Henderson, saying earlier this year: "I can fully understand that he wants to play because he is at an age where, as a goalkeeper, you should regularly play."

Rangnick wants three first-team-ready goalkeepers, and the fourth-choice Grant has not played since November 2019. Heaton, currently third-choice, belatedly made his United debut in December after re-signing on a free transfer in the summer.