The former England Under-21 goalkeeper Lee Grant looks set to move to Manchester United from Stoke City as the club’s new No 3 choice behind David de Gea and Sergio Romero.

The 35-year-old will join as cover with the likelihood that last season’s third choice, the Portugal Under-21 Joel Pereira, 21, will go out on loan to gain more experience. Grant has had a good professional career, amassing more than 500 appearances at clubs including Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday and Burnley and made five appearances for Stoke last season, three in the Premier League.

He played against Manchester United in the 2016-2017 season when deputising for the injured Jack Butland, including a man of the match performance at Old Trafford in October 2016. Stoke drew with Jose Mourinho’s side on that occasion and Grant will have caught the eye playing 28 Premier League games that season until Butland returned.

He is joining United on a free agent deal with the likelihood that he will sign a one-year contract. The top clubs have always found it difficult to have good options at third choice when the likelihood is that the player in question will not feature at all during the season - but it is a position all managers’ want covered.