Roy Keane has urged Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag to follow the lead of Spain coach Luis Enrique and sack David de Gea.
Former United captain Keane previously claimed in an astonishing rant two years ago that he was "sick to death" of the goalkeeper and would be "swinging punches at him", following a high-profile error in a Premier League match against Tottenham. De Gea was at fault for Crystal Palace's goal in Tuesday's friendly win over Melbourne.
The Spanish goalkeeper has been United's first-choice shot-stopper for over a decade but his stagnating form in recent years led to suggestions that he should be replaced by the club. This has been the case at international level, where De Gea is no longer part of the squad.
In an interview published in Marca earlier this summer, Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga discussed how he and De Gea have fallen from prominence in the Spanish international setup under Luis Enrique.
The Blues deputy goalkeeper revealed how De Gea had a "private chat" with the Spain boss – seeing him frozen out of the squad with Athletic Bilbao's Unai Simon, David Raya of Brentford and Brighton's Robert Sanchez all preferred.
United are on the lookout for a new goalkeeper to add competition to De Gea after Dean Henderson joined Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan. That move came after the United youth graduate admitted defeat in his bid to usurp De Gea as No.1 at Old Trafford this season.
Reports have previously suggested that De Gea was uncomfortable with the situation that he was not previously established as the undisputed shot-stopper at Old Trafford as had threatened to be the case when Henderson enjoyed a prolonged resurgence in form in early 2021 under previous boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
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Keane previously said of De Gea following a July 2020 clash on Sky Sports: "I am sick to death of this goalkeeper. I would be flying in at half-time. I would be swinging punches at that guy. This is a standard save for a standard, international goalkeeper. I am flabbergasted. There's got to be some stuff going on at half-time.
"If I was Ole (Gunnar Solskjaer, then United boss), I'd make some changes. Get some lads off the pitch. There are lads out there going through the motions a bit. Not that United have been bad. But you've got to flex your muscles. Maguire and De Gea, I wouldn't even let them on the bus after the game. Get a taxi back to Manchester."
Keane has now been asked what areas of United's squad he would start rebuilding if they are to once again challenge for major honours: "Off the top of my head it's the midfield. They need some top-quality players in the middle. They need some physicality, some energy. That's where I'd start."
Keane was then pressed by fellow pundit Micah Richards about United's defence: "The whole core of the team needs improving… the full-backs, the striker and I’m not convinced with the goalkeeper either."
De Gea remains the first choice at Manchester United, although he may find his position under threat once again if he continues to make high-profile errors.
