Following a remarkable 12-year stint as Manchester United‘s primary goalkeeper, David de Gea officially declared his exit from the club on Saturday.
With an outstanding performance last season, the Spaniard not only broke Peter Schmeichel’s record for the most clean sheets in the club’s history but also earned the distinguished titles of Players’ Player of the Year and Fans’ Player of the Year on four separate occasions.
However, the 32-year-old found himself under criticism following a series of high-profile blunders towards the end of the season, and he faced difficulties in conforming to manager Erik ten Hag’s preferred style of playing the ball out from the defensive line.
Via a social media post, De Gea communicated his sincere appreciation to the passionate Manchester United fans for their continuous support. However, he also said: ‘Now, it’s the right time to undertake a new challenge, to push myself again in new surroundings.’
‘Manchester will always be in my heart, Manchester has shaped me and will never leave me.’
As June came to a close, De Gea’s contract officially lapsed out. Reports emerged suggesting that the player had initially reached an agreement on a contract extension, but the club retracted their offer and returned with reduced terms.
Manchester United is now eyeing a potential acquisition of Andre Onana, the goalkeeper from Inter Milan, who previously played under Ten Hag during their shared tenure at Ajax.
Since joining Manchester United under the management of Alex Ferguson in 2011, De Gea has accumulated an impressive tally of 545 appearances and maintained 190 clean sheets.
The departure of De Gea marks the absence of any remaining players at Old Trafford who have achieved Premier League success. Manchester United’s last title win came under Ferguson’s stewardship in the 2012/13 season.
De Gea’s list of honors extends to the FA Cup victory in 2016, along with two League Cup triumphs and a remarkable accomplishment in the Europa League.
Read also: Manchester United Now Ready To Sell De Gea
Even during United’s prolonged struggle in the years following Ferguson’s departure, the Spaniard consistently displayed his brilliance, often standing out as a shining star.
In 2015, his chances of securing additional trophies were dashed by the collapse of his proposed move to Real Madrid, as the paperwork was not completed before the transfer deadline.
His words: ‘I would like to express my unwavering gratitude and appreciation for the love from the last 12 years.’
‘We’ve achieved a lot since my dear Sir Alex Ferguson brought me to this club.’
‘I took incredible pride every time I pulled on this shirt, to lead the team, to represent this institution, the biggest club in the world was an honour only bestowed upon a few lucky footballers.’
Ten Hag appreciated De Gea for his exemplary service and stellar performances during his previous season at the club. The manager particularly acknowledged his remarkable feat of clinching the Golden Glove award, reflecting his outstanding record of Premier League clean sheets.
‘It takes great quality and character to reach the level of even playing one game for Manchester United,’ he said.
‘To do it 545 times over 12 years is a special achievement, particularly in the goalkeeping position where every game puts you in the spotlight.’
‘To have won player of the year awards from both the fans and his team-mates, each on four occasions, shows the level of his performance and he will always be remembered as one of the very best goalkeepers in the history of the club.’
Regrettably, De Gea’s season, which had been impressive overall, ended on a disappointing note.
Criticism mounted against De Gea as he was considered responsible for the decisive goal in Manchester United’s 2-1 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup final, as well as in their exit from the Europa League quarter-finals against Sevilla.