David de Gea confirms he is leaving Man United to ‘seek a new challenge’ after 12 years… as Erik ten Hag sends best wishes despite U-turn on a new contract that led to messy exit
David de Gea’s 12-year stint at Manchester United is over after the Red Devils confirmed his exit on Saturday.
The 32-year-old’s contract at Old Trafford expired at the end of June, with Mail Sport revealing last month that the framework for a new contract aimed at reducing De Gea’s £375,000-a-week wage had initially been agreed between the player and the club.
However, manager Erik Ten Hag’s reservations over keeping his No 1 had put the deal in jeopardy, with the club backing out of the tabled offer.
De Gea posted a circus emoji on Twitter this week, displaying in no uncertain terms his unhappiness with the club’s actions, and now United have confirmed that the Spaniard’s career at Old Trafford is over.
Following an official statement from the club in which De Ge was thanked for his service, the 32-year-old posted his own statement on Twitter. He insists that he is ‘seeking a new challenge’, despite being blindsided by the contract withdrawal.
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Manchester United have confirmed the exit of David de Gea from the football club
De Gea has departed after manager Erik ten Hag (R) had reservations over a new contract
The Spaniard took to Twitter to confirm his exit after a rollercoaster 12 years
‘I just wanted to send this farewell message to all Manchester United supporters,’ he posted.
‘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.
‘I took incredible pride everytime 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.’
Ten Hag sent the goalkeeper his best wishes, despite having cold feet over the new contract.
He said via the club’s official website: ‘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.
De Gea was brought to the club by legendary former coach Sir Alex Ferguson in 2011
He won eight trophies during his time in Manchester, including the 2015-16 FA Cup (above)
‘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.’
De Gea’s circus message was the latest in a series of snappy social media posts in recent weeks. At the end of June he posted a yawning emoji in what seemed to be another reference to his long-running contract saga.
The Spaniard made 545 appearances for the Red Devils, keeping 190 clean sheets. He lifted eight trophies during his time at Old Trafford – including the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League.
United are now on the lookout for a new No 1 goalkeeper, with Ten Hag keen to land his former Ajax stopper Andre Onana in a £43million deal.
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