Is David De Gea’s time at Manchester United coming to an end? It certainly seems that way. Despite reaching an agreement earlier this month to extend his contract while reducing his weekly wage of 434,000 euros, the club has now reversed its decision. This turn of events suggests that De Gea, after spending 12 years at Old Trafford, is likely to leave the team.
With just three days remaining until he becomes a free agent, De Gea’s future at the Theater of Dreams has never been more uncertain. While Manchester United could still re-sign him after that date, the circumstances make it unlikely.
Reports emerged on Tuesday claiming that De Gea had already signed the new contract before the club backed out and presented him with an even lower offer. Consequently, it is highly probable that De Gea will depart Manchester in search of a new club, with enticing offers potentially coming from the Saudi Pro League.
Erik Ten Hag, the Manchester United manager, has expressed reservations about retaining De Gea as the team’s number one goalkeeper. Throughout the season, De Gea faced criticism for several high-profile errors and his ability to distribute the ball effectively, despite winning the Premier League’s Golden Glove award. The FA Cup Final last month served as a culmination point when De Gea was at fault for Ilkay Gundogan’s crucial second goal in Manchester City’s 2-1 victory over their rivals. Furthermore, he received further criticism for his poor ball distribution from the back.
Manchester United has been assessing potential replacements for De Gea, including Diogo Costa from Porto, David Raya from Brentford, and the highly-rated young goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen from Anderlecht. The club has also been in talks with potential backup goalkeepers in case De Gea decides to remain.
Among the options being discussed, the most prominent is a potential deal with Inter Milan’s Andre Onana. United representatives recently met with Onana’s agent, Albert Botines, to explore the possibility of a transfer. However, the final decision hinges on De Gea’s future.
Onana, who played for Inter Milan in their Champions League final defeat to Manchester City, previously worked under manager Erik Ten Hag during his time at Ajax. Although initial reports suggested a 58 million euros bid for the Cameroonian goalkeeper, such speculation appears premature.
Manchester United needs to sell players to fund new signings this summer, and ideally, they would prefer to secure De Gea on a new contract rather than having to purchase a replacement goalkeeper.
The situation surrounding David De Gea’s contract extension has taken an unexpected turn, leaving fans and pundits alike wondering what the future holds for the Spanish goalkeeper and Manchester United. Only time will tell how this saga unfolds and whether De Gea will continue his career at the Theatre of Dreams or seek a new challenge elsewhere.
