David de Gea's Manchester United contract has expired
David de Gea’s Manchester United contract has EXPIRED with the Spanish goalkeeper now a free agent after the club U-turned on a new contract amid Erik ten Hag’s doubts about him… but he could still be re-signed
- Man United backed out of offering their long-serving goalkeeper a new contract
- Erik ten Hag is known to have doubts about De Gea after high-profile mistakes
- The 32-year-old is officially now a free agent and can sign for another club
David de Gea is a free agent following the expiry of his Manchester United contract on Friday night.
The Spanish goalkeeper, 32, is officially no longer a United player after 12 years with the club amid uncertainty over his future.
Although United could re-sign De Gea – they are planning to hold face-to-face talks after he has married his long-term partner Edurne Garcia this weekend – it was manager Erik ten Hag’s lack of faith in him that led to the club reneging on a new contract offer this summer.
De Gea – who joined United from Atletico Madrid for £18.9million in 2011, when Sir Alex Ferguson was still manager – was expecting to take a significant pay cut on his £375,000-a-week deal at Old Trafford.
But the renewal was put in jeopardy because of Ten Hag’s reservations and reports emerged on Tuesday claiming De Gea had signed his new contract before United back out and tabled an even lower offer.
David de Gea is officially a free agent after his contract with Manchester United expired
United manager Erik ten Hag was behind a decision to back out of offering him a new contract
A resolution hasn’t been reached yet and the four-year contract De Gea signed in September 2019 has now run out.
In a statement on Friday night, United said: ‘David De Gea’s contract is due to run out but discussions remain open with the long-serving keeper.’
United will sit down with De Gea to discuss the options but have been mindful not to interfere with the wedding plans and private time with his family, but at this stage it appears unlikely United will re-sign the goalkeeper, who won the Premier League Golden Glove award for 17 clean sheets last season despite making a number of high-profile mistakes.
United are interested in Inter Milan’s Andre Onana, as confirmed by the Italian side, while Ten Hag refused to allow Tom Heaton to sign for Luton Town earlier this week to prevent a shortage of keeping options.
Ten Hag has publicly backed De Gea all season but is believed to have reservations about some of his abilities, including passing out from the back.
De Gea made errors in the away defeats to Brentford and West Ham last season and was at fault for Ilkay Gundogan’s winning goal for Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
Defender Phil Jones, whose contract has also just expired, was the only member of the United squad who’d served for longer.
De Gea has played a total of 545 matches for United since he arrived in 2011, winning one Premier League title, the FA Cup, the EFL Cup and the UEFA Europa League.
United have held exploratory talks with Inter Milan over a potential move for Andre Onana
Despite De Gea winning the Golden Glove, Erik Ten Hag is searching for another keeper
Club legend Rio Ferdinand wasn’t impressed with United’s treatment of De Gea, saying the Spaniard will leave with a ‘sour taste’ in his mouth.
De Gea at Man United
Total appearances: 545
Clean sheets: 190
Goals conceded: 590
HONOURS
Premier League 2012-13
FA Cup 2015-16
EFL Cup 2016-17
Community Shield 2011, 2013, 2016
Europa League 2016-17
Ferdinand says the ‘only way’ De Gea will play for Man United next season is if the club fail to sign Onana or another goalkeeper during the summer transfer window.
Speaking on the FIVE YouTube channel, Ferdinand said: ‘It’s a funny situation. Whether you think David de Gea is good enough for Manchester United anymore is up for debate.
‘But he’s been an unreal servant to this football club. 12 years he’s been at this club, similar to what I was at this club. Player of the year, four or five times in that time been phenomenal.
‘At times, he’s been the best player at the club. And in a few of those years, had moments where it didn’t go well. Lost a bit of form at times. Maybe lost confidence, but, in the main, served the club remarkably well. He’s an outstanding professional.
‘He’s never brought the club an ounce of trouble. Never brought the club into disrepute. He’s an outstanding professional and a great character. He’s one of the boys.
‘There’s a lot of people calling for him to leave. They want to go and get a new goalkeeper and evolve that position.
‘That’s all understandable and fair. Everyone’s entitled to an opinion.
De Gea lifts the Premier League trophy in 2013, the last time Manchester United won the title
Rio Ferdinand has been disappointed with how Manchester United have treated De Gea lately
https://youtube.com/watch?v=M0W4XZ0d0rk%3Frel%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26start%3D355%26hl%3Den-US
‘Erik ten Hag, at the end of the day, has a certain type of goalkeeper that he wants and if David de Gea isn’t that goalkeeper than David de Gea has to hold his hands up and say you know what, I’ve had a great run here, I love it here but if the manager doesn’t want me I’ve got to go or I’m going to be No 2.
‘I’m just a little bit gutted with how the club have handled this. It comes down to communication.
‘I think Manchester United need to learn from this. They have made mistakes before with big players leaving the club in the past.
‘Big players have left the club feeling like they’ve not been treated well. No one has the divine right to leave a club on their own terms but you want your players – especially the ones that have been there a long time and served the club well – to leave with a nice taste in their mouth.
‘They’ll be disappointed they’re leaving the club as no one wants to leave the club that they’ve grown to love, but I’m seeing more and more players leave with a sour taste and it’s not right. I don’t think it’s fair on the player.
The United keeper was criticised for his slow reactions to Ilkay Gundogan’s volley for Man City in the FA Cup final earlier this month, in what proved to be the winning goal in a 2-1 game
De Gea made a howler against West Ham last season when Said Benrahma’s shot creeped in
‘All it comes down to is communication. A little bit of appreciation. A little bit of understanding. Thinking you know what, we probably need to do this a little bit better.
‘You owe it to a player that has been there that long to ensure they leave the club on half decent terms at least.
‘David must be sitting there and thinking, “I never dreamed that I would leave the club in this way, in this manner.” I look at it now and how does David de Gea stay?
‘The only way he stays is if United can’t get Onana or whichever goalkeeper they go for. It would be difficult for him though because he’ll be looking at the club in a different light.
‘It was love before, maybe it’s business now. It’s disappointing and I hope it gets sorted out, for David and the club’s sake.’
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