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United coach Rene Meulensteen has indicated that Ajax goalie Maarten Stekelenburg is top of Man U's list of replacements for their retiring goalkeeper.

Ajax and Netherlands goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has been revealed as Manchester United's top target to replace fellow Dutchman Edwin van der Saar.

40-year-old Van der Sar has confirmed that this will be his last season in nets. His retirement follows two decades of top flight soccer.

"Stekelenburg is indeed a keeper who is at the top of our wanted list," Meulensteen told Dutch radio.

"We naturally talk a lot among ourselves about who should replace Van der Sar. Alex Ferguson has spoken about Stekelenburg with Edwin, and that does not seem strange to me at all."

On Friday, Alex Ferguson said that he was keen to ensure that the transition from Van der Sar to his replacement would be handled better than when Peter Schmeichel left the Manchester club in 1999.

Schmeichel's departure was followed by a period of six years during which 10 keepers took it in turns to stand in front of the goalmouth, before the problematic situation was saved by Van der Sar's move north from Fulham.

"We hope we are better organised about it this time," Ferguson said.

"I made a mistake. I should have taken Van der Sar at that time but didn't do. We tried several goalkeepers in the interim before I eventually got Edwin.

"Hopefully we'll be better prepared this time. We've learned from that."