It has been a rough couple of months for Manchester United supporters and, for some, things could be about to get much worse.

Largely seen as the Red Devils best player over the last few years, David de Gea could be on the move, with ESPN reporting that the 28-year-old's future is in doubt.

The same outlet also reports that Manchester United would be interested in bringing Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak to Old Trafford should the above happen.

A former player of one of Manchester United's rivals, though, believes the Premier League outfit could be about to make a silly mistake.

"If you've got de Gea in your goal, why are you going out and spending a reported €120m to buy this guy?," ex-Liverpool defender Steve Nicol rhetorically asked on ESPN FC. "Why are you spending €120m on bringing somebody in to a different country, to a new team, a team that is going to be demolished pretty much and is going to have to add a lot of pieces?

"Why are you getting rid of one of the most important pieces in de Gea?"

With de Gea's contract running down, though, Manchester United's hand could be forced here. And all things considered, you could possibly even argue that Oblak would be an upgrade on the Spaniard.

Since last year's World Cup, de Gea has had quite the decline. In the Premier League season that has just gone by, the Spain international made some calamitous and costly errors, resulting in some heavy criticism being thrown his way.

Meanwhile, in La Liga, Oblak has only gone from strength to strength, with his manager Diego Simeone now viewing the 26-year-old as "the best goalkeeper in the world".

Given what he has achieved at Old Trafford and his overall ability as a shot-stopper, Manchester United will want to keep hold of de Gea. But if they lose the former Atletico Madrid man and replace him with Oblak, it would hardly be the end of the world.