The future of Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is still uncertain, despite his contract set to expire.
According to The Athletic, United have backed out of an agreement to extend his contract, despite the fact the ‘keeper signed an extension. The Spaniard agreed to lower his £375k-per-week wages that he earned, but the Red Devils didn’t sign the deal, and they have now submitted a new proposal with an even sharper wage decrease which is being considered by the 32-year-old.
It’s a saga which Erik ten Hag would have preferred to avoid during a summer which should be involving bringing better quality players to the club in preparation for the Champions League next season.
Despite winning the Premier League Golden Glove award for keeping the most clean sheets, he committed a host of mistakes, most notably against West Ham United as he let a weak shot from Said Benrahma evade him and a woeful mix-up with Harry Maguire against Sevilla in the Europa League cost them a goal – and perhaps Ten Hag is better off letting the liability depart.
The question is, who would his replacement be? With United looking to make a surprise move for former Chelsea ‘keeper Thibaut Courtois according to sources in Spain (via Football 365), it could cost them €90m (£77m), as this is the fee that Ten Hag could ‘tempt’ Real Madrid with, as per the report.
Could Manchester United sign Thibaut Courtois this summer?
Regardless if De Gea leaves or not, United still require a world-class shot-stopper ahead of next season, and the Belgian certainly has all the credentials to shine at Old Trafford.
He would bring a winning mentality to the club having claimed a Champions League crown and two La Liga titles since joining Madrid in 2018 along with a host of other honours. The Belgian has also won two Premier League titles, indicating that he would have no difficulty settling in should he move to Manchester.
The former Chelsea star could also be an upgrade on De Gea, as he conceded 0.98 goals per game last term compared to the 1.1 per game that the United ‘keeper let in, while Courtois saved 78.9% of shots faced per 90 during 2022/23, with De Gea saving 71.7% of shots faced per 90 – a significantly higher total in the same time period.
The Madrid gem is also a commanding presence when crosses are delivered into the box, stopping 8.2% per 90, while De Gea manages to stop just 3.1% per 90, and this ability at set pieces could be a big boost for Ten Hag knowing that Courtois could be relied on heavily.
Journalist Josh Bunting lauded his performance against Liverpool in the 2022 Champions League final as “immense” and the 6 foot 6 titan could bring an added presence to the United defence, which is something that will stand them in good stead during their pursuit of more silverware.
