David de Gea has confirmed he is leaving Manchester United this summer, ending a long-running saga which effectively began the moment Erik ten Hag took over as manager.
De Gea' has spent 12 years at Old Trafford producing several moments of real quality but although he has been one of the world's top shot-stoppers, some high-profile mistakes have blighted his game in recent years. And his reluctance to command his box, combined with his relative unease on the ball, convinced Ten Hag that De Gea's time was up.
Ten Hag has made no secret of his desire to build play from the back, starting with a 'keeper who is comfortable distributing the ball. Liverpool and Manchester City have Alisson Becker and Ederson and Ten Hag wants a similar style shift - with former Ajax No1 and current Inter Milan star Andre Onana closing in on signing for United.
While there still appeared to be a chance of De Gea signing a new deal on reduced terms after his £375,000-a-week contract officially expired on July 1, the 32-year-old officially announced a week later that he will be leaving the Theatre of Dreams. De Gea departs on a relative high, winning the Premier League Golden Glove award for the 2022/23 season as United sealed a top-four finish. But blunders against Sevilla and Man City cost United in their chase for Europa League and FA Cup glory.
De Gea remains well-respected in the dressing room, the boardroom and among the club's fanbase. Though many supporters accepted - and indeed supported - letting De Gea's mammoth contract run down, replacing a top-level 'keeper is a fine art as the club has found in the past. It took years before Sir Alex Ferguson finally got Edwin van der Sar in to fill Peter Schmeichel's gloves.
What we want to know from you on De Gea, is it the right time, or will Ten Hag regret the Spaniard's exit? Vote in our MEN United poll below, and then have your say in the comments section here.
Will United regret letting De Gea go?
Once you have voted in our poll, have your say here.
READ NEXT
