The latest Manchester United news as a heart-warming clip has been shared on social media.
David De Gea in action for Fiorentina against former club Man Utd.
David De Gea in action for Fiorentina against former club Man Utd.
(Image: Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
Former Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has been praised for his heart-warming gesture to a young Fiorentina supporter.
A video has been shared on Fiorentina's official social media accounts - showing the Spaniard spending time with the young fan. The clip shows him playing table football with the youngster as well as signing a pair of gloves and posing for photos.
In the caption of the post, the club wrote: "Great emotion for the little purple fan Ettore who yesterday, thanks to the initiative 'Meet the champion' of inViola, got to spend a few minutes with David De Gea."
The former United goalkeeper has established himself as a fan favourite with the Italian club after joining on a free transfer in August 2024, just over a year after his exit from Old Trafford. He returned to his former stomping ground in the summer as part of Fiorentina's pre-season tour and preparations.
The 34-year-old played for the Serie A club in the 1-1 friendly between the two clubs this summer. It was his first return to the club since his exit in the summer of 2023.
Speaking about that exit, he said: "Sometimes football is like it is. You can't control everything - I've been here 12 years, very, very nice, it's one of the best periods of my life.
"Playing for this club is just unbelievable, especially when you leave the club, you realise how big is the club, how difficult it was to be 12 years in a club like United. I'm always grateful, and it's been an amazing journey.
"It's great, sometimes it's difficult to describe with words how you feel on the pitch, seeing the crowd, the players, everybody there, it was emotional for me. It's a game that I'll never forget for sure."
The positive light shining on De Gea comes amid change within the United goalkeeping department. Andre Onana is closing in on a loan move to Turkish side Trabzonspor, following the deadline day arrival of Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp.
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.