Al-Nassr reportedly has their eyes set on securing the services of former Manchester United goalkeeper, David de Gea, in a sensational free transfer deal this summer. De Gea’s contract with his former club expired on Saturday, and despite ongoing negotiations, both parties have been unable to reach an agreement for a new contract.
While there is still a possibility for the 32-year-old Spanish goalkeeper to rejoin Manchester United in the near future, the club is said to be exploring alternative options. Inter Milan’s Andre Onana and Feyenoord’s Justin Bijlow have been linked with potential moves to Erik ten Hag’s side as possible replacements for De Gea.
According to a report from The Sun, Al-Nassr, the same club that recently signed Cristiano Ronaldo, has emerged as a genuine contender to secure De Gea’s signature this summer. The Saudi Arabian team is reportedly willing to offer him a weekly salary of £250,000 as part of a free transfer deal to the Middle East.
In contrast, Manchester United is believed to be ready to offer De Gea a weekly wage of £200,000, a significant decrease from his previous salary of £375,000 per week at Old Trafford.
Since joining Manchester United from Atletico Madrid in 2011, De Gea has made 545 appearances for the Red Devils, impressively keeping 190 clean sheets. During the 2022-23 season, he featured in 58 matches across all competitions and achieved 25 clean sheets, securing the prestigious Golden Glove award with 17 shutouts in the Premier League.
While De Gea struggled with some high-profile errors last season and faced challenges adapting to a new ball-playing style under head coach Ten Hag, his preference is still believed to be a return to Manchester United. However, it is unlikely that he would accept a role as a backup goalkeeper.
Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta confirmed Manchester United’s interest in Andre Onana, but any potential deal for the Cameroonian could prove to be costly, exceeding £50 million. This poses a challenge for the club, especially considering their imminent £60 million deal to sign Chelsea’s Mason Mount next week.
In addition to the goalkeeper position, Manchester United is also planning to bolster their forward line this summer. However, recent reports suggest that the club may only have £65 million available to address their striking issues.
Notably, a number of high-profile players such as Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Karim Benzema, and N’Golo Kante have already made lucrative moves to Saudi Arabia this summer.