Former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has insisted that David de Gea is not an irreplaceable figure at the club.

De Gea, 28, will be allowed to talk to other clubs in January and leave on a free in the summer if a contract extension is not signed.

Van der Sar claimed that De Gea is not irreplaceable and there are several goalkeepers in the Premier League who could step up for the role.

“The decision needs to come at a certain point,” Van der Sar said, according to The Independent.

“It takes a long time now, so it’s a case of ‘yes’ or ‘no’, but I’m not a director of United.

“Other goalkeepers can also fill the gap. There are a few Premier League goalkeepers playing at the club who can also take the step up.

“I was 34 when I went to United. So there are lots of opportunities there.”

The Dutchman also defended De Gea’s poor form and maintained that it’s temporary.

“No. That happened to me, it happened to Ryan Giggs also, to everyone,” Van der Sar insisted.

“Your form differs. He has been for so long at such a high level, so at a certain point it gets noticed, maybe not the first two times, but then people start to write about it. But he’ll be fine. He’s a great goalkeeper.”