Manchester United Close to Agreeing New Contract With David de Gea

David de Gea, Manchester United, contract

According to latest reports, Manchester United are close to agreeing a contract extension with David de Gea that will extend his stay at the club. Manager Erik ten Hag is satisfied with the goalkeeper’s performances this season and wants to keep him at Old Trafford.

The Spaniard joined the Red Devils in 2011 and has been the most important player for the club in the last decade despite a few setbacks. The shot-stopper has a contract with United till the end of this season. He signed the last contract in 2019 on a 4-year deal.

United have the option to trigger the one-year extension clause in his contract, similar to Rashford, Fred, Shaw and Dalot, but the club decided against using it for De Gea. The 32-year-old is currently the highest-earning player in the squad (£375,000-a-week) and triggering the extension clause would have committed the club to pay the same wages for another year.

Rather, the Red Devils opted to offer him a new contract, especially after the Spanish shot-stopper expressed his willingness to take a pay-cut from his per-week wages. According to Football Insider, talks are at an advanced stage and Man United are close to agreeing a deal with David de Gea to extend his contract at the club.

The club have offered the Spanish international a three-year contract worth £200,000-a-week wages. The deal is reportedly close, with only minor details to be ironed out and the Red Devils are increasingly hopeful of signing an extension with the player.

Meanwhile, Ten Hag is convinced that De Gea would sign a new contract and continue at United, especially as the Spaniard is thriving under the new manager’s system. The keeper offered this update regarding his contractual situation at Old Trafford:

“We’re still talking. I’m just focused on the games, that’s the most important thing, but for sure it’s going to end in a good way.”

🚨🇪🇸 David de Gea on Manchester United contract talks: "We’re still talking. I’m just focused on the game, that’s the most important thing, but for sure it’s going to end in a good way." #MUFC pic.twitter.com/9JJbGsZ32P

— United Update (@UnitedsUpdate) February 5, 2023

The 32-year-old moved to the Theatre of Dreams after leaving Atletico Madrid, for a fee worth around £18 million. He has been one of the longest-serving players at United and is also eligible to play a testimonial match for the club at this point.

To explain his importance, David de Gea has played each and every available minute in the Premier League so far this season. Although he has been heavily criticised by some in the later stages of his career, the fans have had to depend on him to keep them alive in most games.

Why Is It A No-brainer For Manchester United To Extend The Contract Of David De Gea?

David de Gea won the Premier League Golden Glove award in the 2017/18 season for Manchester United after recording 18 clean sheets. The Red Devils were the runners-up in the league that season and failed to win any trophy, but it was still very tough for other PL teams to score against them.

The Spaniard’s world-class saves here and there have conditioned the fans into thinking that normal saves are just regulation for him. He had suffered heavy criticism from the pundits who accused him of not being vocal enough on the pitch.

David de Gea, Golden Glove Award — Image Obtained via Sky Sports

Modern-day football requires goalkeepers who are not afraid to leave their goalkeeping line or keepers who take charge to punch the ball away or catch the ball authoritatively during set pieces. Under Ten Hag, the 32-year-old has improved at coming out of the box to clear the ball. Even though the former Atletico keeper is not the best at it, United will have to make do with it.

It is safe to say that Manchester United would be in a far more disastrous situation if it was not for De Gea. Some fans even think that the Old Trafford-based outfit would have even gotten relegated if it was not for the Spanish shot-stopper.

The club is yet to find a proper replacement for De Gea. The Red Devils would want to keep the Spaniard for as long as they can. There is still a lot of play left for the 32-year-old, considering that some keepers have gone on to play till 36-37 in their prime.

United currently have Jack Butland who does not offer a real threat to David de Gea in terms of challenging for the number-one goalkeeper spot at Old Trafford. The Red Devils will have to get a top-class replacement in the summer if they fail to retain the Spanish international.

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