Star goalkeeper David de Gea
He’s being hailed as the best goalkeeper in the world – no wonder everyone wants a piece of Manchester United’s David de Gea
HE CLAIMS it was pure reflexes and no big deal, really. “I tried to react quickly and it hit my foot,” he said with a shrug. “It was instinct.” Others beg to differ. The way Manchester United’s David de Gea thwarted a surefire goal by Liverpool’s Joël Matip had to be seen to be believed.
It’s safe to say it was the heady highlight in an otherwise damp squib of a game between the two fierce rivals. Veteran player Thierry Henry called it “the best action of the match” and even Matip called the lightning-fast action brilliant.
And it’s cemented David’s position as the best goalkeeper in the English Premier League – if not the world – right now. Just a month earlier, the 26-year-old Spaniard pulled of f a similarly heart-stopping save in a tense game against Stoke, deflecting a point-blank kick from Jesé Rodriguez with his hand.
These recent stellar saves mean David hasn’t let in a single goal in eight league games – United’s best-ever clean-sheet record for the start of a Premier League season.
“How many times have we seen him stopping efforts with his feet?” retired Scottish player Graeme Souness said after the Man U-Liverpool clash, which ended in a 0-0 draw. “Right place, right time. De Gea. He’s alive to every situation. Whenever the ball is anywhere near him he’s on his toes. He’s a top goalkeeper.”
United midfielder Nemanja Matic believes there’s no doubt his teammate has earned his place among the goalkeeping greats. “They [Liverpool] had some great chances and David as always was perfect. That’s why he’s one of the best in the world.”
NATURALLY all this attention has made coaches from all the European leagues sit up and take notice – including the hard hitters at Real Madrid.
Bosses at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium are reportedly desperate to get David onto their books after a season of inconsistency from their current goalie, Keylor Navas.
José Mourinho will be loath to part with his star goalie – but the Spanish side might have an ace up their sleeves in the shape of Gareth Bale. It’s no secret Mourinho wants to get the Welsh star to Old Trafford. The brazen former Blues coach told Bale as much while greeting the Real Madrid players before they played United in America last year.
“I can’t buy you because you don’t talk to me!” Mourinho cheekily stage-whispered to the Welshman.
Now Real manager Zinedine Zidane and his colleagues might be using Mourinho’s cocky manner against him. Rumour has it they’ll allow a Bale transfer – but only if they get David as part of the deal.
This puts The Special One in a tight spot. “He believes signing Bale would be a game changer for United, giving them a genuine world-class star,” soccer writer
Steve Bates says in the Sunday Mirror. “But he doesn’t want to lose De Gea. It’s a problem for Mourinho but the chance to sign Bale might prove irresistible.”
THE man himself has been keeping mum on the matter. David has previously said he’s happy at Old Trafford but he also once admitted he’d love to play for Real Madrid at some point in his career.
A move to the Spanish side – which he’s been linked to before – would also take the Madrid-born star back home. David grew up in Illescas, not far from the Spanish capital, and it was where he started his career at the age of 13 with Atlético Madrid. The teenager rose through the academy system at the La Liga side before making his senior debut in 2009 at just 18 years old.
“This boy is as cold as a wolf,” Atlético youth goalkeeping coach Ángel Mejías said in 2010. “He has composure, nerve and self-confidence. The pressures that others might feel don’t affect him.”
After an impressive two years at Atlético’s Wanda Metropolitano stadium, Manchester United came knocking after goalie Edwin van der Sar’s retirement in 2011.
In a reported £18,9 million (then R236 million) move – a British record for a goalie – the Spanish national joined the Red Devils, where he’s been effortlessly keeping the ball out of the net ever since.
Since joining the British side, David has made more than 200 appearances, and has a Premier League title, an FA Cup, a League Cup, three Community Shields and the UEFA Europa League titles under his belt.
Last season the goalkeeper was named
SUnited’s Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year, the first player in the award’s history to win one three times successively.
But after six years at the club, it might be time for David to move on – at least, his girlfriend seems to think so. David’s partner of seven years, Spanish singer, model and actress Edurne Garcia (31), has been house-hunting in Madrid, apparently so she and her beau can settle down and start a family, according to Spanish news site Diario Gol.
According to the website, the couple’s jet-setting careers mean they barely spend time together but when they do, it’s in Manchester – “a city with little life”. It’s no secret the blonde bombshell isn’t the UK city’s biggest fan. In 2015 she made headlines after appearing to agree with a presenter who said Manchester was “uglier than the back of the fridge”.
“It’s not very nice, that’s for sure,” Edurne was reported to have said. “You have to hunt out specific places, the nicer places. But even then Spain is nicer.”
While the Spain’s Got Talent judge and 2015 Eurovision contestant is keen to bid farewell to Manchester for good, she might be jumping the gun. David looked all set to join the Spanish legends in 2015 when the deal was “foiled by red tape at the last gasp”, The Mirror reports. And even with Bale to sweeten the deal, Mourinho might not let the golden goalie go without a fight.
In July, Mourinho was adamant David won’t be sold to another club for the coming season. “I can guarantee he’s not going this season, that I can, and my feeling is it will be difficult for him to go. Because he’s an honest boy, very straight,” the Portuguese coach said.
“I don’t think the feeling from him [towards Real] is good. I see him happy and focused and working better than ever so for me. 100% he stays with us.”
Must be nice to be so wanted.