As his contract with Manchester United came to an end on June 30, 2023, it appears that David de Gea will be seeking a new club for the upcoming 2023/24 season. Although he could still potentially sign a new deal with United, it seems increasingly likely that the club will look elsewhere for their No.1 goalkeeper. Unless Erik ten Hag plans on playing Dean Henderson, who spent the previous season on loan at Nottingham Forest and is expected to be sold permanently, United will need to search for a new goalkeeper.
The decision to part ways with De Gea, who won the Premier League Golden Glove last season, raises questions about the uncertainty surrounding United’s goalkeeping department. The Sporting News delves into the reasons behind De Gea and United’s separation after a 12-year partnership.
De Gea was signed by Manchester United in 2011 as a replacement for the retiring Edwin van der Sar, while Alex Ferguson was still the manager. His transfer fee of £18.9 million ($24m) from Atletico Madrid made him the second most expensive goalkeeper at the time, behind Gianluigi Buffon.
During his time at United, De Gea won four major trophies, including the 2012/13 Premier League title, which is the club’s most recent. He was also named the club’s player of the year four times, with his best performances coming under the management of Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho.
In September 2019, the Spanish international signed a new four-year contract that made him the highest-paid player at the club, earning a stunning £375,000 ($478,000) per week. He remained United’s first-choice goalkeeper and won the Premier League Golden Glove for the second time in his career in the 2022/23 season, keeping the most clean sheets in the competition. However, costly mistakes in key matches have become more frequent in recent years, and questions about his ability with the ball at his feet and his willingness to come off his line have led to suggestions that United manager Erik ten Hag would prefer a goalkeeper with a different style.