Jose Mourinho has spoken out about the fact that their star goalkeeper David de Gea has constantly been their player of the season these past few years.
The Spanish shot stopper has been one of the key players for Manchester United in recent history. This is reflected in the fact that he has won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Season award for three years in a row starting from 2013.
The burden of responsibility on the Spaniard has diminished this season, with the Red Devils finally looking like they have their act together. Mourinho recently stated that it is a problem if a goalkeeper keeps winning the best player awards at a club year in and year out.
“I think when a goalkeeper is the player of the season it’s because something is wrong,” Jose told reporters at the Aon Training Complex, according to the official club website.
“Hopefully, David is not our Player of the Year again this season, but hopefully he keeps making important saves for us like he did in the last match.”
The Portuguese manager was quick to add that he definitely recognized the contributions of a goalkeeper in a general sense, and expressed sympathy at the incredible pressure they are often under.
“Of course, I would love goalkeepers to be recognised,” he said.
“I’d like them to win the Golden Ball and I’d like them to be the player of the season in the Premier League because goalkeepers are these lonely guys with a different shirt to everyone else. When they play phenomenally, people forget, and when they make a mistake, everyone remembers.”
David de Gea didn’t get off to a great start after arriving from Atletico Madrid in 2011. However he has been a pillar of stability in a chaotic period for Manchester United. The Spaniard first won the Player of the Season award in David Moyes’ first and only season in-charge at Old Trafford.
The 26-year-old bagged the award the next two seasons as well, this time under Louis van Gaal. In the process he became the first goalkeeper to win the award and the first ever Manchester United player to win the award thrice in a row.
His performances haven’t gone unnoticed, with La Liga giants Real Madrid desperate to sign him. A big money move famously failed to happen in the summer of 2015 because of a broken fax machine, but De Gea now looks settled at Manchester United.
Mourinho may not want the Spaniard to be his player of the season, but he remains one of the best players in his team.
