David de Gea talks about his exit from the club Manchester United
Manchester United had a nightmare in their last season. We finished 15th in the Premier League, lost to Spurs in the Europa League final, and were eliminated from European football for the next season. All of these dealt a severe blow to the club’s reputation.
Ruben Amorim was brought in as manager midway through last season, but despite his arrival, the team continued to suffer setbacks in the season. Andre Onana’s goalkeeping mistakes cost the team on several occasions, especially in crucial matches, which sapped the team’s morale.
Meanwhile, the club began making rapid changes in the ongoing summer window. The signings of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have brought new energy to the attack, and young Diogo Leon will be groomed for the future. The most important change is the arrival of Benjamin Sesko, as the striker position was weakened by Rasmus Hojlund’s failure to score goals last season.
Emotional return and old memories
Last week, Old Trafford witnessed an emotional moment in the 1-1 draw against Fiorentina. David de Gea returned here for the first time in two years and was given a formal farewell. The 34-year-old talked about his exit from Old Trafford and said in his interview that not everything is in your hands in football. The Spaniard played for United for 12 years and called it the most beautiful period of his life. He admitted that he realised its true importance only after leaving the club.
David de Gea insists there are no hard feelings over his departure from Manchester United two years ago.
David de Gea insists there are no hard feelings over his departure from Manchester United two years ago.
“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 for this club, for everyone, it’s been an amazing journey.
“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.”
Opinion and our take on this
De Gea had a great time at Manchester United, but it was necessary to move on in 2023. At that time, the club needed a new goalkeeper who was good with the ball at his feet under Erik Ten Hag and could create attacks from the back. Erik ten Hag’s decision was controversial, and Onana made a number of mistakes last season, but it’s also true that changes are necessary in football.
If De Gea had been kept at that point, the same old problems would have probably continued – poor passing, slow distribution, and not fitting into the tactical setup. Onana had a poor year, but the club needed to look into the future, and now the Red Devils need to find a proper replacement for Onana as well, and they are certainly looking at Donnarumma and Senne Lammens.