We can win the lot under Special One says De Gea
DAVID DE GEA is confident Manchester United will challenge for the Premier League title as they enter a new era under “winner” Jose Mourinho.
Life since Sir Alex Ferguson’s glorious reign ended has been tougher than many expected but anticipation and excitement is building around the club once again under the Special One.
Eric Bailly, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and, most excitingly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic have boosted a squad that will soon welcome a top midfielder – with United trying to land Paul Pogba in what could prove to be a world-record deal.
De Gea has been cheered both by the summer signings and the appointment of Mourinho, leaving the keeper often linked with Real Madrid clearly excited by the season ahead at Old Trafford.
Asked if United can challenge for the title this term, De Gea (above) said: “Of course, of course. I think we signed top players, really good players.
“We are Manchester United and we want to fight for everything.
“I feel like it is a new era. The club is really strong now. The players want to do everything and hopefully we can.”
Mourinho has quickly made an impact since succeeding the unpopular Louis van Gaal, with his winning mentality, organisation and great CV impressing the Spain No.1.
“He is a strong character,” added De Gea, 25, United’s Player of the Year for the last three seasons.
“He is a winner – he is one of the best managers in the world and we feel it. We are really comfortable with him.
“He is a strong character but he makes jokes. It is good for us to laugh.”
Ibrahimovic, 34, will start pre-season training in Manchester today and De Gea hopes his cutting edge will add an exciting new dimension to the attack.
“You know he is a top player, he is a top striker,” he said.
“He is a killer and hopefully he will play his best in Manchester.”
The Swede (right) is among a handful of first-team players absent from United’s short, if testing, tour of China.
The extreme heat and humidity have not stopped United from often training twice a day in Shanghai though.
“It is really tough but we enjoy China,” said De Gea, who watched United’s 4-1 International Champions Cup defeat to Borussia Dortmund from the sidelines.
“It is my first time here. It is really hard training but we enjoy it a lot.
“The fans in China are unbelievable. It is really crazy but it is good for us. We enjoy it a lot. We need to train and try to be a compact team.
“The key in pre-season is to try to be fit as soon as possible and then go to the Premier League and try to win it.”
The Dortmund match was the first of a tour which continues on to Beijing where Manchester City await in an intriguing clash tomorrow.
And while it may only a friendly, De Gea is keen to secure the bragging rights at the Bird’s Nest Stadium.
“It is not the same, playing away from your country against City,” said the former Atletico Madrid star.
“But it is always a special game and of course we are going to try and win.”
MATT FREEMAN