A broken fax machine famously or infamously blamed for failed transfer move of David De Gea to Real Madrid back in the 2015 summer transfer window. The Madrid-born goalkeeper has been one of the best shot-stoppers in the modern game for several years now. His talent has definitely deserved a better reward regarding trophies. But he has also achieved relative success at Old Trafford. He won the league title with Manchester United under Alex Ferguson in and had also added the FA Cup, League Cup and the Europa League under Jose Mourinho.
However, that is nothing compared to what he could have achieved with the Spanish giants if the deal had not collapsed. Within the last three seasons, Los Blancos have won three Champions League trophies and a La Liga title. All the same, that’s history now. He went ahead to sign a new deal with Man United that kept him at the club until 2019 with an option for a further year. Talks have been ongoing for a new long-term contract. It’s taken months, yet there has been no headway as the player appears reluctant to commit his long-term future to the club.
For a player that was named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI for 2018, that is perfectly understandable given the state of the club in the last two campaigns. United has not been able to win a league title since Ferguson retired. Mourinho started with a bang in his first season in charge of the club winning the League Cup and the Europa League but finished last season empty-handed and has been widely criticised by the club faithful for playing an unattractive brand of football. With United currently occupying seventh place on the table and already out of the title race, it’s difficult to see any significant progress under the Portuguese manager.
United has moved to exercise the option for the one-year extension of the player’s deal while discussions are ongoing on the long-term deal, but rumours have been rife about a move away from Old Trafford. Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus have all been linked with the player. For a goalkeeper of his calibre, he is guaranteed of winning trophies with any of these clubs especially the last two if he chooses to make a move.
But that does not mean his chances of doing same with the Red Devils are bleak. Despite the current state of things, United remains the most successful side in England and will always be a contender for major silverware both domestically and on the continent. With or without Mourinho in charge, the club will challenge for trophies (as it has become used to) down the road.
With the need for new investment in players now made clear, the side should be reinvigorated starting from the January transfer window. De Gea will be an important part of this group, and his experience and leadership role in the side will be vital.
Having paid his dues, and winning back-to-back awards as the club’s best player, staying on to reap the reward of trophies will be the no more than De Gea deserves. Therefore, leaving anytime soon could be counter-productive.
