Aheed Abrar
Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United will miss David de Gea
Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand believes the Old Trafford side will miss former shot-stopper David de Gea after his departure this summer.
The Spaniard’s contract with the Red Devils expired at the end of June. As a result, the veteran goalkeeper is a free agent now and has ended his 12-year stint at the club.
Speaking exclusively to TNT Sports (h/t Eurosport), Ferdinand, who lifted a Premier League title alongside De Gea, is of the opinion that the shot-stopper would not have left the club had football not changed drastically.
“I think they’ll miss him. He’s arguably the best shot-stopper around, won the Golden Glove last year. So, I don’t think in any other era would the keeper that won the Golden Glove be relieved of his duties at a football club.
“But the way that the game’s going now, in wanting the goalkeeper to be attached to the 10 outfield players and be a footballer now, that’s why we’re in that situation.”
United signed the 32-year-old in the summer of 2011 from Atletico Madrid to replace the great Edwin van der Sar. The Spaniard struggled a bit at first but was able to find his feet at the Old Trafford side.
There was a point in De Gea’s career when he was considered one of the best goalkeepers in the game. His spectacular shot-stopping helped the Red Devils out on several occasions over the years.
In the previous campaign, the Spaniard was Erik ten Hag’s first choice in between the sticks. He won the Premier League Golden Glove, having kept 17 clean sheets in 38 appearances.
However, despite some of De Gea’s impressive saves, there were a few concerning things about his game in the 2022/23 term. The Dutch manager seemingly wants to play the ball out from the back, something the Spaniard did not look comfortable doing.
Now, we have Andre Onana in between the sticks. The Cameroonian was signed from Inter Milan this summer. He is familiar with Ten Hag’s style of play and showcased his ability in possession during the Champions League final against Manchester City.
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While it remains to be seen whether the 27-year-old is as good a shot-stopper as De Gea, he arguably suits the gaffer’s plans much better. Therefore, it was evidently the right time to move on from the Spaniard.
