The former Manchester United man has lifted the lid on his life since leaving Old Trafford
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 09: David de Gea of ACF Fiorentina acknowledges the fans after the pre-season friendly match between Manchester United and ACF Fiorentina at Old Trafford on August 09, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
David de Gea spent 12 seasons at United(Image: Matt McNulty, Getty Images)
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Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has spoken candidly about his year away from football. The Spaniard has described those 12 months as the "best" of his life.
De Gea became an icon at Old Trafford. The now 35-year-old secured the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup under Sir Alex Ferguson as he established himself as one of the finest shot-stoppers in the world.
Following 12 seasons at United, he departed in July 2023 and spent the whole of the 2023/24 campaign as a free agent before putting pen to paper with Serie A outfit Fiorentina, where he remains to this day. Thursday will see De Gea return to England with La Viola as they face Crystal Palace in the first leg of the Europa Conference League quarter-finals.
The former Atletico Madrid stalwart has experienced a patchy season in Florence, with Paolo Vanoli's side finding themselves dragged into a relegation battle. De Gea and his colleagues have since engineered a remarkable turnaround, though, and started ascending the Serie A table.
Reflecting on his time spent away from the sport after leaving United, De Gea told Gazetta: "It was an easy decision. After 12 years at United, I needed a break.
"So I took a year off to dedicate to my family and friends: it was the best year of my life. But I continued to train with a coach, Craig, who was very supportive and did a great job with me.
"I was sure I could compete at a high level again. When Fiorentina called me, I was ready. The first time I walked into Rocco B. Commisso Viola Park, I was speechless: there aren't many facilities like it in Europe."
David de Gea of Fiorentina looks during the Serie A match between Pisa SC and ACF Fiorentina at Arena Garibaldi on September 28, 2025 in Pisa, Italy
De Gea was a free agent for a season before Fiorentina took a chance on him(Image: Getty Images)
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De Gea spoke enthusiastically about his years in Manchester. He described Sir Alex as a "father figure" and said the heartbreaking Premier League defeat to local rivals Manchester City in 2012 proved the catalyst for United's title triumph the following campaign.
"We lost the Premier League in our first year when City took the title from us with a last-minute win despite our victory over Sunderland. I made up for it by winning it in 2012/13 - every game at United was special," he continued.
Discussing Fiorentina's struggles this term, he said: "There's no explanation. We started badly and put a lot of pressure on ourselves. It was tough for me too, as I found myself fighting for survival for the first time.
David de Gea pictured during his playing days at Manchester United
De Gea will return to England to face Crystal Palace(Image: Getty Images)
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"The young players suffered more; in these situations, you have to be mentally strong. I wasn't at my best either, but I didn't give up. Hard work is the only way to get out of it.
"The hardest moment was at the end of 2025, when we were last, hadn't won a game, and the statistics said no one in our situation had ever survived. I was worried then: I felt like I was in a nightmare. Now, however, we've improved in many areas and are still in the running in the Conference, but we have to keep working hard."
The clash with Palace has captured the star's attention, with a return to England always an enticing proposition. He concluded: "We're focused on Serie A, but we have to believe in it. Crystal Palace are strong, and it'll be great for me to return to England. Winning a trophy would be amazing for the fans; we can do it."
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