David de Gea confirms he is leaving Man United to ‘find a new challenge’ after 12 years… while Erik ten Hag sends his best wishes despite a new contract flip that led to a messy exit
David de Gea’s 12-year spell at Manchester United is over after the Red Devils confirmed his departure on Saturday.
The 32-year-old’s contract at Old Trafford expired at the end of June, with Mail Sport revealing it last month the framework for a new contract aimed at reducing De Gea’s £375,000 a week wages was initially agreed between the player and the club.
However, manager Erik Ten Hag’s reservations about keeping his number 1 had jeopardized the deal, with the club withdrawing from the bid submitted.
De Gea posted a circus emoji on Twitter this week, expressing his discontent with the club’s actions in no uncertain terms, and now United have confirmed the Spaniard’s career at Old Trafford is over.
Following an official statement from the club thanking De Ge for his service, the 32-year-old posted a statement of his own on Twitter. He insists he is “looking for a new challenge,” despite being blindsided by the contract withdrawal.
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Manchester United have confirmed the departure of David de Gea from the football club
De Gea has left after manager Erik ten Hag (R) had reservations about a new contract
The Spaniard confirmed on Twitter his departure after a roller coaster of 12 years
“I wanted to send this farewell message to all Manchester United supporters,” he wrote.
“I want to express my undying gratitude and appreciation for the love of the past 12 years. We have achieved a lot since my dear Sir Alex Ferguson brought me to this club.
“I was incredibly proud every time I put on this shirt, to lead the team, to represent this institution, the greatest club in the world was an honor bestowed only on a lucky few footballers.
‘It has been an unforgettable and successful period since I came here. I didn’t think if we left Madrid as a young boy we would achieve what we did together.
“Now is the right time to take on a new challenge, to push myself again in a new environment. Manchester will always be in my heart, Manchester formed me and will never leave me. We’ve seen it all.’
Ten Hag sent the goalkeeper his best wishes, despite the fact that he had cold feet about the new contract.
He said through the the club’s official websiteIt takes a lot of quality and character to play even one game for Manchester United. To do it 545 times in 12 years is a remarkable achievement, especially in the goalkeeper position where you are in the spotlight in every match.
De Gea was brought to the club in 2011 by legendary former coach Sir Alex Ferguson
He won eight trophies during his stay at Manchester, including the 2015/16 FA Cup (above)
“To have won Player of the Year awards from both the fans and his teammates, four times each, shows the level of his achievements and he will always be remembered as one of the very best goalkeepers in the club’s history.
“I am personally grateful for the 25 clean sheets he helped deliver last season and for his overall contribution on the field during my first year at the club. All 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 racy social media posts over the past few weeks. In late June, he posted a gaping emoji in what appeared to be another reference to his long-running contract story.
The Spaniard played 545 matches for the Red Devils and kept a clean sheet 190 times. He lifted eight trophies during his time at Old Trafford, including the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Europa League.
United are now looking for a new number 1 goalkeeper, with Ten Hag keen to bring in former Ajax stopper Andre Onana in a £43 million deal.
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