Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has made a frank and honest admission of feeling “embarrassed” by playing for the club recently.
The Spaniard has been the number one at Old Trafford for the past decade and has had no shortage of ups and downs at the club, with this arguably the club’s toughest campaign in that time.
United are trying to salvage Champions League football after a dismal season but their top four hopes are fading fast. They failed to challenge in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and Champions League this campaign, and languish a distant sixth in the Premier League – six points behind Arsenal in fourth having played a game more.
There is hope for the future as the club last week confirmed the appointment of Ajax boss Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman met with United bosses last month to talk about becoming their new manager on a permanent basis and will replace interim coach Ralf Rangnick at the end of the current campaign.
United have four Premier League matches remaining this campaign but have won just two of their last 10 matches across all competitions in what has been a truly dreadful campaign. It is not only a change in the dugout coming this season but a mass overhaul in the club’s playing squad.
Even the future of De Gea is uncertain as United look set for mass change with Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic and Jesse Lingard exiting as free agents while the club will listen to offers for multiple other players this summer.
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Yet the Spanish goalkeeper has now spoken of how tough this campaign has been and how there needs to be a change in the “mindset” in the dressing room and has called on his teammates to do more in order to salvage some pride for the campaign.
De Gea told an interview with Skysports: “For me it is tough, I have been here for many years. When you are on the pitch and you are 3-0 or 4-0 down – it is too painful. It makes me feel embarrassed and I feel horrible on the pitch. We have to change this mindset and everything.
“We need to do more. Everyone needs to do more. We need to try to win games and be in the top positions.”
Ten Hag will succeed interim coach Rangnick in the Old Trafford hotseat this summer and will become the club’s fifth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, following on from David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
