DAVID DE GEA is “on the verge of signing a new contract” – but some Manchester United have already given up on the title after hearing the news.
The 32-year-old goalkeeper’s current £375,000-a-week deal runs out in June.
Man Utd fans are giving up on the title already next term as David De Gea looks set to pen a new deal
However, boss Erik ten Hag has been confident the Spanish stopper will extend his 12-year stint at Old Trafford with an extension.
We exclusively revealed how the Spaniard could be offered the carrot of a money-spinning testimonial if he agrees to take a pay cut.
The club have put a new contract on the table, which would see his present basic salary drop by nearly 50 per cent.
United boss Ten Hag has given his public backing to the Spaniard, although it is understood concerns remain from the player’s camp that he may not be No.1 next season.
De Gea, who won the Premier League’s Golden Glove this term, was signed from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and the pandemic meant plans for a testimonial year were put on the backburner.
He is now into his second decade at United and the club will look to recognise his long service – if he puts pen to paper in the coming weeks.
Now the Daily Mail have claimed that the stopper has “agreed terms” to stay and is just waiting for Red Devils chiefs to sign it off.
But he knows that “his No.1 status is no longer guaranteed” as we previously reported how Ten Hag has refused to guarantee him that spot next term.
The Dutchman’s playing philosophy demands that he has a keeper that can play out from the back and he has been linked with a number of other goalie’s with Porto’s Diogo Costa the latest.
And De Gea’s performance in Saturday’s FA Cup Final defeat to Man City could also have “consequences” – and it at least means that supporters have lost confidence in the long-serving ace.
He received criticism for both of Ilkay Gundogan’s strikes at Wembley, and fans have reacted to the news he is close to penning his new deal with scepticism on Twitter.
One supporter tweeted: “Pathetic. Madrid and Barca are letting players who are useful go, whilst we hanging onto a GK who can’t pass, can’t command his box, wets himself when a cross comes in and his shot stopping isn’t as good as it was 5 years ago.”
Another wrote: “I love de gea he has done a fantastic job the past 12 years but we need a keeper who will move out into the box instead of being rooted to the goal line. His distribution is woefully bad and the mistakes are very costly. We need a keeper who will command the entire box.”
A fellow fan commented: “He’s washed. The first goal he just watched it go by. Seen it too many times this season, get him out he’s got too comfy with his starting role week in and week out.”
As another tweeted: “Real Madrid just let go of Benzema, Hazard and Asensio this week and we’re keeping a hold of a guy who’s cost us so many trophies in the last 12 years to be on the bench even Spurs are letting go of Lloris.”
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