DAVID DE GEA is floating in no man’s land as the experienced shot stopper still searches for a new home after leaving Manchester United this summer.
The 32-year-old spent 12 years with the Red Devils just to walk away without a goodbye from the fans after he was replaced by Andre Onana.
And you would think there would be a queue of clubs lining up to offer last season’s Premier League Golden Glove winner a contract… but that’s not the case.
In fact the Daily Mail have reported that many coaches and managers are turning their noses up at De Gea with the view that he hasn’t developed his game enough and is only seen as a “save-making” goalkeeper.
Onana was brought to Old Trafford by Erik ten Hag because of his ability with his feet, an area of the game that the Spaniard has struggled with historically.
But make no mistake, there were still teams interested in signing De Gea this summer and if it hadn’t been for some sliding doors moments he could be in-between the sticks right now.
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European giants Real Madrid had been interested in signing the former Atletico Madrid man when their number one, Thibault Courtois, picked up a cruciate ligament injury.
But they turned their attention to Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga instead, when they discovered they could sign him on a season-long loan.
It’s reported that Real Madrid opted for Kepa not just for the ease of a loan move, but also as they felt they were choosing Spain’s second choice keeper over one who was no longer in the setup for the national team at all, in De Gea.
De Gea was understood to be keen on a move back to Spain with he and his wife, Edurne Garcia, looking to settle down back in his home country.
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The pair married this summer and Edurne may have also had an impact on De Gea’s free agent status too.
It is said that Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Hilal were keen to attract the goalkeeper to the Middle East to join the likes of Neymar and Aleksandr Mitrovic.
But the star’s wife reportedly made it clear she only wanted to make the move out there once all other options had been exhausted.
This opened the door for Yassine Bounou to join Al-Hilal instead from Sevilla, thus leaving De Gea without a club in Europe or in Saudi Arabia.
Now he is left in limbo as he looks to find himself a new stadium to call home and the lack of options as a first choice keeper could see him call an early end to his career.
De Gea is said to be considering retirement if he is unable to find a new club where he will be the No1.
The 2013 Premier League champion is currently training alone as he looks to maintain his fitness should the right option come along.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
