De Gea’s £375k-a-week deal Goalkeeper becomes highest paid player at Old Trafford
Goalkeeper signs new £375K four-year deal Spaniard says he still has much to achieve at club
David de Gea believes he can still fulfil his ambitions at Manchester United after finally ending the long-standing uncertainty over his future by signing a new four-year contract.
The Spain goalkeeper has become United’s highest-paid player after misfit striker Alexis Sanchez by agreeing a deal worth about £375,000 a week with bonuses that will tie him to the club until June 2023.
The contract, which includes the option of another year, moves De Gea above midfielder Paul Pogba in the pay stakes but still behind Sanchez, who earns in excess of £500,000 a week and is on loan at Inter Milan.
Contrary to reports, it is understood that United have not waived a squad-wide clause in De Gea’s deal that sees players’ earnings drop if the club fail to qualify for the Champions League.
The news brings to an end 18 months of protracted talks. De Gea would have been free to talk to foreign suitors in January, with his previous deal expiring at the end of the season. De Gea, 28, joined United from Atletico Madrid for £18.3 million in 2011, winning his only Premier League title in his second season under Sir Alex Ferguson, since when the club’s fortunes have dipped.
But the Spain No1, who has made 367 appearances for United, is confident the club can recapture past glories in the coming years. “Now my future is fixed, all I want is to help this team achieve what I believe we can and win trophies again, together,” he said.
“As one of the senior players in the squad, I want to support and lead in any way that I can to assist the younger players, so they know what it means to play here.
“I still feel that I have so much more to achieve at the club and I truly believe that Manchester United can build on the club’s tradition of success and reward our fans for their support. I am committed to continue repaying the fans for all of the care that they’ve shown me during the good times and the bad.”
De Gea, United’s player of the year in four of the past six seasons, has started the campaign well after a torrid second half of last season, when his form faltered amid growing uncertainty over his future.
“Over recent years, David has proved himself to be the best in the world and a vital part of our plans,” manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said.
“David is a fantastic person and his outstanding quality provides the perfect base to our defence.
“Over his time here, David has really understood the values of playing for Manchester United and now represents everything you want in a goalkeeper. As a player he is still hugely determined and hungry to achieve more.
“We all look forward to working together to meet those ambitions over the coming years.”