Man Utd get goalkeeper transfer BOOST as Gianluigi Buffon reveals retirement plans

MANCHESTER UNITED have inadvertently been boosted in their pursuit of a back-up goalkeeper after Juventus stopper Gianluigi Buffon revealed he has no desire to quit the game.

15:08, Mon, Apr 13, 2015 | UPDATED: 15:17, Mon, Apr 13, 2015

Gianluigi Buffon playing for Italy AFP

Italy international Gianluigi Buffon boasts 147 caps

Buffon, 37, was thought to be considering hanging up his gloves next summer and Juve have begun the search for his replacement.

One man targeted for the role as Buffon’s successor is Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic, who is also wanted by United.

United reportedly see Handanovic, 30, as a solid number two for current goalkeeper David De Gea.

In fact, Handanovic is considered a competent replacement for De Gea if Real Madrid pursue a £50million transfer for the Spaniard this summer.

Handanovic is known to favour a stay in Italy and, with contract negotiations stalling, links of a move to Turin to compete with Buffon have recently surfaced.

But Buffon insists he won’t surrender the jersey that has been his since a £32m transfer from Parma in 2001, leaving Juve with little hope of capturing Slovenia international Handanovic.

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“If I continue at this level physically and mentally, I can guarantee another two or three years at the top level,” Buffon told L’Equipe.

“I’m not a number two, I want to be a 40-year-old who is still number one.

“I want to experience my remaining years in the best way possible and demonstrate that even at 37 or 38 years old I am an important goalkeeper.”

While Buffon insists he won’t let go of the Juventus gloves, he is also determined to stay on as Italy’s top stopper.

The 2006 World Cup winner boasts 147 caps and added: “If I told you I wasn’t thinking about the World Cup in Russia (in 2018) I would be lying, I’m used to setting myself big targets, even if with three years to go and at my age it’s asking a lot.”