Manchester United are getting ready for life without David de Gea for the first time in 12 years after the Spaniard announced that he had left the club following the expiry of his deal.
De Gea had been approaching the end of the four-year deal he signed in 2019 and United did not take up the option to extend his contract for an additional season, leaving any hopes of the 32-year-old sticking around hinging on extension talks going well.
It looked like he was going to sign fresh terms and stay on reduced wages but ultimately, no agreement was found and he has now called time on a sparkling stay at Old Trafford.
That leaves United with the task of finding an able replacement and Andre Onana, the Inter Milan star, has been heavily linked with a reunion with Erik ten Hag.
The pair successfully worked together at Ajax for a number of years and now, it looks like they could be set for a second stint as colleagues.
According to journalist and transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, United are edging closer to making Onana their second signing of the summer, having already confirmed the arrival of Mason Mount from Chelsea.
As per the reporter, Onana could join the club as early as next week, with United hoping everything will be finalised and signed by the time they leave for their pre-season tour of the United States.
“Manchester United are now really close to completing the signing of Andre Onana. I’ve been told it should be sealed by the end of next week. The Inter Milan goalkeeper has already agreed personal terms, and a bid should come in soon, with United keen to have him on their pre-season tour in the US,” Romano told CaughtOffside.
“Of course, this follows the departure of David de Gea, which was finally confirmed yesterday. De Gea will now assess his options in the next few days. Some Saudi club has approached him but there’s nothing advanced yet, he wants to take his time on this decision together with his family.
“He wanted to sign a new contract, he was keen on signing that, but Manchester United decided to invest big on new goalkeeper, in this case Andre Onana, who is now really close, as mentioned above.”
It may take some time getting used to a United teamsheet without De Gea’s name on it but Ten Hag’s insistence on playing out from the back looks to have been a deciding factor.
It’s an area De Gea struggled with in Ten Hag’s maiden campaign but regardless of the nature of his departure, the Spaniard will be remembered as a great servant to the club.
He made a whopping 545 appearances, keeping 190 clean sheets and breaking countless records in the process, including the most number of clean sheets in the club’s history. He has also registered the most minutes on the pitch by any player in Premier League history.
