David de Gea has done an about face on his contract situation at Manchester United. Not long ago, it had seemed a mere formality that he would extend his 12 year stay with the club.
However, we’re now 13 days from contract expiration, and there is no sign of potential renewal.
Unless things make another 180 degree turn, the Madrid native could walk away on a free after June 30.
According to the Manchester Evening News: “Talks have continued to take place but there has been no firm offer for the Spaniard.”
Meanwhile Football Insider report that “It is believed Man United are keen to draft in a new top-quality goalkeeper to rival De Gea, 32, this summer.”
It remains to be seen who that replacement could be, but that issue now needs to be at the top of the transfer window priority list.
There have been links to the likes of Brentford’s David Raya (who is also drawing major interest from Tottenham Hotspur) and Porto’s Diogo Costa.
De Gea is coming off a Golden Gloves award winning season, but the 32-year-old Spaniard made numerous costly howlers this past season.
We have seen the contract situation/outlook on the overall future of De Gea take numerous twists and turns before, even just this past year.
So anything can happen this summer transfer window. Dean Henderson had once been thought of as the heir apparent, but that is no longer the case.
De Gea has made 545 appearances for the club that he’s been with 2011, when he was just 20 years old.
He definitely deserves a much better send-off then he’s going to get.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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