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The Man Utd great has established himself as a key member of the Fiorentina squad in Serie A.
David de Gea believes his sabbatical year after leaving Manchester United was one of the best periods of his life after he had spent 12 seasons with the club. The 34-year-old left the club on a free transfer two years ago after United opted against offering him a new contract.
The Spaniard was inundated with offers after his Old Trafford exit, but decided to take a year out from professional football as he contemplated the next step in his career. De Gea finally made his return when he signed for Serie A club Fiorentina last August, where he has established himself as a key player in their first-team squad.
De Gea is out of contract at the end of the season, but Fiorentina have the option to extend his deal by another year, though it would require them to double his wages. The United great has yet to decide what he will do next but is just happy to be enjoying football again after his sad Manchester exit.
David de Gea reflects on his sabbatical year
“I just wanted to take it easy for a while after playing at the highest levels for many years. Perhaps, it was the best period of my life,” he told La Repubblica newspaper. “I could finally enjoy time with my family and friends whom I had seen little in the past 15 years. I travelled between Madrid and Manchester, continuing to train my mind and body.
“I signed for one year and the club has an option to renew. I’m happy in Florence and at Fiorentina, but first we need to finish the season in the best possible way. The city is wonderful, and the people are amazing. The club has a unique history, and the Franchi excites me.
“It’s beautiful and passionate. I immediately said yes to Fiorentina, Serie A has always attracted me. I like everything, starting from the Viola Park, where I lived for the first couple of months. President Commisso and coach Palladino have a vision; there is a solid bond. We want to push as hard as possible to secure a spot in Europe and try to win the Conference League.”
David de Gea names his five best Manchester United teammates
As part of the interview, David de Gea was also quizzed on his 12 years at Manchester United and was asked to name the five best players he shared a pitch with during his Old Trafford tenure. Although he was not part of many successful sides during his time in Manchester, De Gea did play with some exceptional individual talents, one of which he was himself.
He won a Premier League title, the Europa League, the FA Cup, and two League Cups during his lengthy spell with the club, and was named in the PFA Team of the Year five times. Of his many former teammates, it was the array of attacking talent that impressed him most, mainly on the training ground.
“Van Persie, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney, Ibrahimovic and Lukaku,” he said. “But when they didn’t score against me in training, they also got frustrated.”
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