Is David de Gea's Time at Manchester United Coming to an End? Erik ten Hag Faces a Fresh Dilemma

Petr Cech, who made the move from Chelsea to Arsenal, was lauded by his captain John Terry for adding significant value to the club. At the age of 33, Terry believed that Cech's presence alone could contribute up to 15 points per season to Arsenal. Inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in May, Cech holds the esteemed title of being the most accomplished goalkeeper in the league's history.

Content: With 202 clean sheets to his name in the competition, 163 of which were achieved during his time at Chelsea, his record is expected to endure for a long time. However, considering that David de Gea is a year younger than Cech was when he made the switch, one wonders where he would place among the esteemed ranks of goalkeepers who have left their mark on English football.

In reference to Terry's quote, some Manchester United fans may cruelly argue the Spaniard has similarly contributed to 15 points - but at his side's expense.

The De Gea conundrum

Content: With 540 appearances under his belt in English football since his arrival in 2011, De Gea has encountered a total of 17 errors that resulted in goals in the Premier League. Notably, this places him as the Spanish goalkeeper with the highest number of such errors in the league's history. However, considering the vast number of games he has played, is this statistic significantly high?

As his tenure at Old Trafford potentially comes to a close, defining De Gea's 12-year career in English football becomes quite challenging. In the previous season, he not only secured the prestigious Golden Glove award but also achieved the remarkable feat of breaking Peter Schmeichel's record for the most clean sheets.

When De Gea received the award, Roy Keane - at the forefront of his detractors - told We: "United had to improve from last year, they were so bad defensively.

"They are all applauding him. De Gea needs to be replaced swiftly as he is incapable of leading United to win trophies again. It is certain that United would have shown progress from the previous year, so it is absurd for everyone to praise him. After all, it is his responsibility."

That statement holds some truth, yet it seems that the players in front of him have not consistently performed remarkably in the prolonged quest for another Premier League championship."

Why keeping faith in De Gea could be rewarded

De Gea can pride himself on a successful performance as he surpassed his fellow goalkeepers yet again by racking up the highest number of clean sheets. Although his 16 shut-outs throughout the previous season fell just short of the outstanding 18 he achieved in the 2017/18 campaign.

It is challenging to accurately determine Erik ten Hag's impact and his unique vision for United's goalkeeping position. This is a perplexing matter. Additionally, there are critics, including influential individuals, who argue that De Gea's performance issues make it necessary for United to address this position as a top priority this summer.

Being the goalkeeper for one of the biggest clubs in the world comes with an extra burden - being the highest-paid 'keeper globally and the highest-paid Spanish footballer. However, this does not guarantee success, just like his impressive clean sheet record does not reveal the complete picture. Nonetheless, his supporters will highlight his unwavering commitment over 12 years, which coincided with a turbulent period in United's history.

Since 2011, he has been the consistent successor to Erwin van der Sar under Sir Alex Ferguson at the young age of 20. De Gea, who had previously impressed at Atletico Madrid, was signed for a British record fee of around £18.9m. His goalkeeping coach, Diego Diaz, had high expectations for him, stating in 2010 that he was on his way to becoming one of the top goalkeepers. Any other result would have been disappointing.

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Rising to the position with that resounding approval, he has stayed as Manchester United's top choice goalkeeper under the management of David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick, and, until this moment, Erik ten Hag.

His potential departure is shrouded in confusion, leaving the clarity of his future uncertain.

The season concluded without any spectacle of a final game for the club. While there have been vague rumors of interest "from Saudi Arabia," nothing substantial has materialized. No evidence to support the claims, thus no real possibility.

Heading into the last week of his contract, his future has grabbed everyone's attention. For United, the time has come to either utilize him or lose him.

Reports have surfaced indicating that they are interested in retaining him, albeit on significantly lower terms.

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Discussions remain open between club and player

On Tuesday, United supporters blocked the entrance to the club's Megastore to protest against the Glazer family amid the ongoing ownership saga.

Adding to the chaos, The Athletic revealed that the club went back on their commitment to extend De Gea's contract. According to reports, the player had agreed to a significant reduction in his weekly wages of £375,000, but the club failed to finalize the contract.

De Gea is committed to staying at Old Trafford for as long as he was wanted, but the subsequent offer on the table of an even lower salary now tests his resolve.

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De Gea joined Manchester United from Atletico Madrid in 2011

The player has the right to question the events of these last months. Despite not being at his peak, should a player with over 450 appearances for United receive more respect?

Those who argue on both sides of the debate may agree that the current situation, with De Gea heading towards free agency, reflects the club's ongoing difficulties.

De Gea's 400th Premier League appearance for United in February was a historic moment, as no non-British player had achieved this milestone for a single club. However, it is concerning that United has allowed his contract to expire at the age of 32, which is typically considered a prime age for goalkeepers with 45 international caps. This lack of foresight indicates poor planning on United's part, especially considering that they have yet to resolve other unresolved areas within the team.

Why Ten Hag would want a change at No 1

Upon Ten Hag's arrival a year ago, it became evident right away that De Gea's playing style at Ajax didn't align with the possession-based approach favored by his new manager. As a result, his profile didn't meet the necessary criteria.

Immediate teething issues arose, evident in the humbling 4-0 defeat to Brentford. De Gea and Harry Maguire suffered a disastrous first half at the Gtech Community Stadium, highlighting a failure to utilize the strengths of Ten Hag's available players.

Blame can be attributed to both parties, and the manager of United has acknowledged that there will be discomfort throughout the process as he endeavors to shape United according to his vision. Valuable insights were gained when the goalkeeper was directed to make long kicks in response to high-pressing teams.

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United are looking at other options including Diogo Costa

United have recently initiated discussions with Inter Milan regarding Andre Onana, as well as considering David Raya from Brentford and Diogo Costa from Porto. Despite Ten Hag's public support of De Gea, he never assured that the latter would retain the No 1 position for the forthcoming season even if he remained at the club. As Dean Henderson has returned to United following his loan spell at Nottingham Forest, there is also the possibility of promoting from within the team.

De Gea's stellar performances have often been overshadowed by lapses in concentration. Ten Hag is determined to construct a team that excels in build-up play, and he seeks a goalkeeper who doesn't hesitate to come off his line.

We cannot forget the unfortunate incident where Said Benrahma's shot went past De Gea, leading to defeat against West Ham. Moreover, De Gea was partly at fault for all three of Sevilla's goals in the second leg, which ultimately eliminated United from the Europa League.

Criticism arose regarding the distance traveled by Ilkay Gundogan before scoring the second goal in United's defeat against Manchester City in the FA Cup final, with concerns about De Gea not readjusting his feet.

How frequently has he proven himself as the reliable figure in crucial moments and important matches?

In what may potentially be his last appearance at Old Trafford, there was a timely display of De Gea's exceptional skills when the stakes were low. Despite being behind, De Gea made a crucial save from Aleksandar Mitrovic's penalty in front of the Stretford End. Though it may be deemed insignificant in a challenging season, this save played a part in United's eventual victory.

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Erik ten Hag has publicly backed De Gea on a number of occasions

Ten Hag said afterwards: "I think it shows even at that age, you can progress. It was a great save.

"There has been a significant improvement in his performance, which I believe can also be attributed to our team's progress throughout the season. Being good is no longer sufficient; we must strive to excel.

His outstanding save came at a crucial moment in the game, as being 2-0 behind would have made it challenging to secure a victory."

De Gea's aspiration is to continue competing at the highest echelon. Opting for a lucrative opportunity in Saudi Arabia would imply acknowledging that his prime years are a thing of the past.

However, by allowing his contract to run out, it is possible that the player will be truly valued in a more friendly environment, ultimately emerging as one of the world's top talents, as his goalkeeping coach Diaz had previously predicted.

United had other fires to fight this summer. Beyond the protracted takeover, there is the toing and froing with Chelsea over Mason Mount.

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Andre Onana shows good footwork for Inter Milan

The club is keen on adding a new striker, particularly interested in Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund following initial communication between the clubs. Additionally, there is an optimism about boosting the transfer budget through player sales, considering the possibilities regarding captain Maguire, Fred, Scott McTominay, and Anthony Martial.

However, if the De Gea situation ends up creating a vacancy at the No 1 position, all of the aforementioned achievements would become less significant. Manchester United finished the season eight points ahead of Liverpool, securing a spot in the Champions League. It is also worth noting that, due to Manchester City's better goal difference, United were effectively 15 points behind the Premier League leaders.

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De Gea poses with the Carabao Cup trophy

Was De Gea the difference in adding a top-four berth to Carabao Cup success, or would the gap to City have been closer with a different goalkeeper?

Playing every minute, he undoubtedly contributed - yet the impact of his presence on United's destiny remains. Ensuring resolution of United's numerous issues, Ten Hag's primary and sole concern would be the absence of an ideal goalkeeper.

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