Stan Collymore has urged Aston Villa to sign former Manchester United superstar David de Gea.
Writing in his column for Caught Offside, former Premier League star Stan Collymore has urged Aston Villa to make a move to sign David de Gea this summer if the veteran is keen to continue in the English top flight.
The Spanish shot-stopper is the reigning Premier League Golden Glove winner and is a veteran of the English game. Having spent over a decade at Old Trafford, he is now a free agent after his contract expired at the end of June.
Now on the market, de Gea has several options on his table as he ponders the next step in what has been a long and illustrious career. While he could join the Saudi Arabian bandwagon, Collymore believes the veteran star still has much to offer in Europe.
A return home to Spain could be an option and in some ways a fitting end to a brilliant career. At 32, the Manchester United legend still has a few good years left in him and could continue his tryst with the Premier League.
Collymore believes Aston Villa could do with the Spaniard’s abilities, especially given the uncertainty surrounding the future of current number one Emiliano Martinez. The Argentine World Cup winner is a solid last line of defence, one can ask Randal Kolo Muani that. But should he leave Villa Park, Unai Emery could do with a reliable replacement in goal.
“If he wants to stay in the Premier League, I would like Unai Emery to consider him. Emi Martinez’s Aston Villa future is far from assured, so if he does leave, Emery, who is obviously a compatriot of De Gea and a person the former United number will know well, may look at the situation and think the 32-year-old is a suitable replacement.”
Unai Emery has brought the fun back at Villa Park and is slowly putting together a strong side. He appears to be adding a Spanish flavour to the side following the arrival of Pau Torres and the pursuit of Ferran Torres. De Gea should fit in well and could resurrect his career in an ambitious setup.
More so, Aston Villa will also be landing the player for free – a bonus considering the vast experience and know-how the Spaniard brings to the table. It remains to be seen if this news is something that will garner traction in the coming weeks.