Manchester United agree £47.2million transfer deal which could also benefit Sunderland

Sunderland transfer target Nathan Bishop may be allowed to leave Manchester United in the coming weeks as the Premier League club strengthen their own goalkeeper options.

As has been widely reported, The Red Devils have agreed a £47.2million deal to sign Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana, which consists of £43.8million up front and an additional £3.4million in add-ons.

Sunderland have identified Bishop, 23, as a potential replacement for Alex Bass, who left the Stadium of Light to join AFC Wimbledon on loan earlier this month.

It has left the Black Cats short of goalkeeper options for their pre-season US tour, after 19-year-old Adam Richardson suffered an injury.

That meant 16-year-old scholar Matthew Young travelled to America as back-up for first-choice stopper Anthony Patterson.

As reported by The Athletic, Sunderland then saw a move for Bishop blocked, with United low on numbers in the goalkeeping department.

David de Gea’s exit and Dean Henderson’s injury means Tom Heaton - who is a reported transfer target for Luton - has been United’s only fit senior goalkeeper at the start of pre-season, while Bishop was promoted to the bench for a friendly match against Leeds.

The arrival of Onana will change the situation, though, with United hopeful the Cameroon international will be able to join the squad on their pre-season US tour.

That could then allow Bishop to sign for Sunderland ahead of the Black Cats’ Championship opener against Ipswich on August 6.

Bishop signed for United as a 20-year-old from Southend in January 2020.

The stopper was loaned out to Mansfield during the 2021/22 season and played every League Two fixture as The Stags were eventually beaten by Port Vale in the play-off final.