The Hard Tackle speculates three ideal destinations for Manchester United star David de Gea, who could be on his way out of Old Trafford in the summer.
A bombshell transfer update from The Sun sheds light on the future of David de Gea. The current Manchester United number one is apparently facing an uncertain future at the club, after facing criticism from a number of experts, including Roy Keane, for his inconsistent performances in between the sticks.
As such, the Red Devils are now considering offloading de Gea in the summer for a fee of around £50 million. The Spaniard is already set to miss out on at least five games for Manchester United this month after going back to Spain for personal reasons.
It should give current second-choice Dean Henderson an extended run of games in goal, with the report clearly suggesting that it could be the start of the Englishman’s eventual integration into the first-team plans for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he prepares for life without de Gea.
The 30-year-old is currently one of the highest-paid players at the club and his potential departure could certainly serve as a financial boost for Man United. It should also put a host of European giants on red alert.
Time for a parting of ways? – The curious case of David de Gea and Manchester United
Here, at The Hard Tackle, we will figure out the ideal destinations for de Gea in the summer, should the former Atletico Madrid custodian leave Old Trafford after the end of the season.
Inter Milan
Inter Milan are well on their way to breaking Juventus’ hegemony in Italian football by securing the Serie A title. Although they are still locked in a title race with arch-rivals AC Milan, they do have a healthy six-point advantage at the top – making them favourites to seal the crown.
Inter’s likely triumph in Serie A could go a long way in helping them convince David de Gea to move to Milan this summer, as indeed, the club has enjoyed a lot of improvement and success since the arrival of Antonio Conte.
Although the future of Italian mastermind still remains uncertain, de Gea could be an excellent fit for Inter for multiple reasons. Thanks to the influence of Chinese investors, the Nerazzurri can offer a reasonable salary package for the Spanish international. But more importantly, in de Gea, they could find a tailor-made replacement for the ageing Samir Handanovic.
The Slovenian has shown clear signs of deterioration in regards to his performances this season and at the age of 36, it is time for a change of guards in between the sticks, at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium.
David de Gea’s loads of experience at the highest level of football should serve as a massive boost for Conte. It should further solidify a defensive unit that already boasts the services of Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni and Milan Skriniar, although the latter has been linked with a move away from Milan.
From the player’s perspective, at Inter, de Gea will be able to reunite with a bunch of his former Manchester United teammates including Ashley Young, Alexis Sanchez, Matteo Darmian and Romelu Lukaku.
Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain are perhaps the only club in Europe that might be able to offer David de Gea a better package than his current one at Manchester United. Seemingly losing their grip to LOSC Lille and Olympique Lyon in French football, the French capital outfit is likely to go all out in the upcoming summer transfer window that could include the arrival of a new goalkeeper.
In Keylor Navas, PSG do have the best performing goalkeeper in Europe, in regards to save percentage. The Costa Rican international’s tally of 80% shots saved eclipses top goalkeepers like Manuel Neuer, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Thibaut Courtois and Gianluigi Donnarumma.
However, given that he is at the age of 34, PSG will fancy bringing in some competition and there are indeed very few better options available than de Gea. Although the Spaniard will not be content with a joint number one role at PSG, he is certain to take the torch forward, should Navas’ form takes a dip in the coming future.
Les Parisien shouldn’t have any particular difficulties in meeting de Gea’s wage demands either, and with the prospect of competing for the UEFA Champions League trophy, combined with the collective beauty of the city itself, Paris is undoubtedly one of the ideal destinations for the Manchester United goalkeeper.
Juventus
The second Serie A outfit to feature on this list, it was always going to be a choice between Juventus and AC Milan. However, we give the Bianconeri the edge due to their sporting stability and financial firepower that should entice de Gea. From a sporting perspective, Juventus do already have two internationally renowned goalkeepers in Gianluigi Buffon and Wojciech Szczesny.
However, there are reports claiming that the 43-year-old Buffon could retire by the end of next season. As for Szczesny, he is likely to remain in Turin for now, though his future could be in serious doubt should de Gea arrive in the summer.
The Spaniard is certainly a more established option in goal when compared to the ex-Arsenal man. It should pave the way for him to find a move elsewhere in search of regular game-time,
As for de Gea himself, he should relish the opportunity to play with Cristiano Ronaldo while the goalkeeper’s experience at the highest level of football could become critical as Juventus looks to undergo a defensive transition that could see veterans like Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci paving the way for youngsters in Merih Demiral or Matthijs de Ligt into the team.
It should make the 30-year-old one of the leading figures at Juventus in a quick span of time, which is certainly appealing given the prestige of the club as well as the fact that it can compete with the top dogs of European football every single season.
