By Mark Weasley
As a fresh faced 19-year-old teenager, many English football lovers will remember the dreadful debut David de Gea had in the 2011 Community Shield. The baby-faced shotstopper, who Sir Alex strongly recommended to replace club legend Edwin van der Sar endured a torrid time against the Citizens and was strongly criticised for his performances.
The Spanish goalkeeper, since that time has grown in stature and is widely regarded as one of the best shotstoppers in the world. He has been courted by Real Madrid for the better part of 2 years, and almost joined the club in 2015, but couldn’t complete a deal due to a paperwork gaffe.
The former Atletico Madrid man is keen on a return back to his home city, though not in the colours of his boyhood club, but in the white of Real. His family is settled in the Spanish capital, and he believes that playing for Los Blancos is a sure way to guarantee his position as the national team’s first-choice shotstopper.
After initially struggling with the culture, language and physicality, De Gea has adapted to life in Manchester and alongside Spanish teammates in Juan Mata and Ander Herrera, he is among close companions. Jose Mourinho is not keen to do his old club any favours but denying De Gea his wish will be unfair on a player who has given his all to the club in his 6 years at the club.
Reports in Spain suggest that a player plus cash deal for Morata and De Gea is on the cards, a deal which will favour both parties. Mourinho is on the lookout for a quality striker, and in Morata, has a striker capable of playing at the top level for the next decade. De Gea has been so vital in the past four years, winning the club’s Player of The Year awards three times consecutively between 2014- 2016, a feat only few players could match in the history of the illustrious club.
De Gea has served the club well, without any controversies off and on the pitch and should be sold early so that a capable replacement can be gotten in time for the beginning of the season. He has the right, and it is unfair to keep any player against his wishes.
