According to reports, David de Gea, the former goalkeeper of Manchester United and currently a free agent, is in discussions with Al-Shabab, a team in the Saudi Pro League.
De Gea left the Red Devils at the end of the previous season, putting an end to his 12-year tenure at Old Trafford. Last June, the 33-year-old seemed poised to sign a new contract with the club, even accepting a pay cut, but United withdrew from the negotiations and instead signed Andre Onana from Inter. Previously, De Gea had been linked to Al-Nassr and Newcastle United, but now it appears that talks are progressing with Al-Shabab for a potential transfer.
De Gea, who played 545 matches for United, was reportedly let go because the Red Devils wanted a goalkeeper who was more skilled at playing with the ball at his feet to initiate attacks. While Onana, who was signed for £47.2 million ($59.9m), is more technically proficient, it is debatable whether or not the Premier League giants made a mistake by allowing the Spanish international to leave.
In De Gea’s final season with United, he won the Premier League Golden Glove after keeping 17 clean sheets, while Erik ten Hag’s team finished third in the division. This was the second time the Spaniard had won the award, with his previous success coming in the 2017/18 season when he kept 18 clean sheets.
De Gea, being a free agent, is not restricted by the January transfer window to finalize the deal quickly. Since he has been without a club for over six months, he may need some time to adjust to playing with a team again. However, the advantage is that Al-Shabab’s next match is not until mid-February, which gives him the opportunity to adapt and perform well from the start.
