Manchester United have confirmed that David de Gea has left the club after a 12-year spell at Old Trafford.
The 32-year-old officially became a free agent when his contract expired at the end of June, but the Red Devils were in talks to tie him down to an extension.
However, De Gea would have been required to accept a significant cut to his previous £375,000 weekly wages, and Erik ten Hag could not guarantee that he would still be the club’s number one next season.
As a result, De Gea bids farewell to Old Trafford after acting as Man United’s last line of defence for over a decade, and the Spaniard took to social media to reflect on an “unforgettable” period at the Theatre of Dreams.
“I would like to express my unwavering gratitude and appreciation for the love from the last 12 years. We’ve achieved a lot since my dear Sir Alex Ferguson brought me to this club,” De Gea wrote on Instagram.
“I took incredible pride every time I pulled on this shirt, to lead the team, to represent this institution, the biggest club in the world was an honour only bestows upon a few lucky footballers.
“It’s been an unforgettable and successful period since I came here. I didn’t think from leaving Madrid as a young boy we would achieve what we did together. Now, it’s the right time to undertake a new challenge, to push myself again in new surroundings.
“Manchester will always be in my heart, Manchester has shaped me and will never leave me. We’ve seen it all.”
De Gea learned his trade at Atletico Madrid before joining Man United in 2011 to succeed Edwin van der Sar, and he departs having kept a club-high 190 clean sheets in 545 matches across all competitions.
The shot-stopper sits seventh in the Red Devils’ all-time appearance list, and he broke Peter Schmeichel’s previous Man United clean sheet record of 180 during their EFL Cup final win over Newcastle United in February.
Making his own tribute to De Gea, Ten Hag told manutd.com: “It takes great quality and character to reach the level of even playing one game for Manchester United.
“To do it 545 times over 12 years is a special achievement, particularly in the goalkeeping position where every game puts you in the spotlight.
“To have won Player of the Year awards from both the fans and his team-mates, each on four occasions, shows the level of his performance and he will always be remembered as one of the very best goalkeepers in the history of the club.
“I am personally grateful for the 25 clean sheets he helped provide last season and his overall contribution on the pitch during my first year at the club. All the players and staff send him our very best wishes for the next phase of his outstanding career.”
The 2022-23 EFL Cup marked De Gea’s eighth and final piece of silverware with Man United, having got his hands on the same trophy in 2017 as well as winning the Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup and three Community Shields.
De Gea came under fire for a number of mistakes last season, but he won a second Premier League Golden Glove with 17 clean sheets in the top flight as Man United finished third in the table to return to the Champions League.
The 32-year-old was also named in the PFA Team of the Year on five occasions, while winning the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year for Man United four times and making the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2018.
“David leaves Manchester United with the deepest respect and warmest appreciation of everyone associated with the club. To have set new club records for goalkeeper appearances and clean sheets, surpassing Alex Stepney and Peter Schmeichel respectively, shows just how great a player he has been for us,” Man United Director of Football John Murtough added.
“Just as important are his qualities as a person, and he will be missed by all of us who have had the privilege of working with him over the past 12 years. David will always be part of the Manchester United family and we look forward to welcoming him back to Old Trafford in future as a legend of the club.”
It is unclear what is next in store for De Gea, but his agent is reportedly planning to meet with Fenerbahce chiefs to discuss a possible move to Turkey, while there is also interest from Saudi Arabia.
Man United are expected to sign Inter Milan’s Andre Onana as De Gea’s successor, and the Red Devils are now said to be on the brink of reaching an agreement for the Cameroonian.
