David de Gea, the #1 for both Manchester United and the Spanish national team, is considered by many to be the greatest currently active goalkeeper in the world. Or at least in the discussion as the globe’s best keeper. Thus his opinion on the art of goalkeeping carries a whole lot of weight, and he urged Kepa Arrizabalaga, a goalkeeper for Spain and Athletic Bilbao, to remain in his homeland.
De Gea famously came extremely close to joining Real Madrid on summer transfer window deadline day 2015, but his potential eleventh hour move fell through over clerical issues that both clubs blamed on the other side.
Arrizabalaga, considered to be one of the world’s most rising stars among goalies, has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid as well. As contract extension talks at Bilbao have stalled for the time being, it is becoming increasingly more likely that Kepa becomes a free agent come summer time. It’s even possible that he could leave when the next transfer window opens in January, potentially for a club outside of Spain.
De Gea was warned Kepa against that, as he believes the youngster should stay put in his homeland.
“Kepa is still very young. He has a long career ahead of him. But his head is in the right place,” De Gea said at a news conference ahead of Spain’s friendly with Russia tonight.
“When you train with him you realise that he has a very high level. He is a great goalkeeper. He needs to continue to compete at this level and grow game after game. I’m also young and we (Spain’s goalkeepers) are here with the maximum enthusiasm to help the national team.”
De Gea went on to say that once Spanish players leave the country they become less publicized and thus less relevant within Spain’s borders, and he doesn’t want to see Kepa suffer the same fate.
“All the players like me that leave Spain, we are not followed as much as those that are playing at home and people forget a little bit about us. That is why we try to be there and do things to be talked about.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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