After 12 years of service at Manchester United, David De Gea has announced that he will be leaving the club after the expiration of his contract. It is a significant departure as he was the last player brought to the club by Sir Alex Ferguson. De Gea departs having made 545 appearances for Manchester United, the seventh most in the club's history. He managed to win one Premier League and FA Cup, along with two EFL Cups and a Europa League.
However, De Gea was not always destined to be a success at the United. Upon his £18.9m arrival from Atletico Madrid in 2011 (a British record for a goalkeeper at the time), De Gea faced criticism from pundits due to his slender frame. Many believed that he would struggle to cope with the physicality and demands of the Premier League.
In his first season, the 20-year-old De Gea had a shaky start, making several errors that led to him being dropped for Anders Lindegaard, the second-choice keeper at the time. Although De Gea displayed moments of brilliance, he struggled to maintain the consistency required to be the number one goalkeeper at such a prestigious club.
Despite the initial criticism, De Gea showed significant improvement in the 2012/2013 season. He made several world-class saves that established him as one of the best shot-stoppers in the league. His performances played a crucial role in helping United win the league title, and he was recognized by being voted into the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
De Gea's exceptional performances in subsequent seasons further elevated his status. Although he lacked silverware, he consistently performed at a world-class level.
One standout moment was a game against Arsenal in December 2017, where De Gea made 14 saves in a dominant display that helped United secure a 3-1 victory. He was voted into the Premier League Team of the Year four more times and won United's Players' Player of the Year on four occasions, highlighting his importance to the club. His performances also caught the attention of Spanish giants Real Madrid, and a move to the club seemed imminent until a failed transfer due to a faulty fax machine.
However, despite De Gea's unquestionable shot-stopping ability, he faced criticism for his lack of presence and command in his area, particularly when it came to playing with his feet. As the role of the ball-playing goalkeeper gained prominence, De Gea was asked to showcase his distribution skills, especially under Erik Ten Hag last season.
It became evident that he lacked the ability that other top keepers possessed when it came to distributing the ball. In the 2022/2023 season, there were multiple instances where De Gea lost possession or made pressured passes that led to opposition goals, which contributed to his decline at the club.
Although De Gea is now considered surplus to requirements at Manchester United, it is undeniable that he was among the world's best shot-stoppers for a significant part of his career.
Unfortunately, his career spanned a transitional period between playing styles, where playing with the ball at the feet became a vital requirement for top clubs. With new challenges on the horizon for De Gea, many United fans will cherish the moments he produced and regard him as a club legend.