Just In – Erik ten Hag ‘makes decision’ on David de Gea’s Man Utd future with transfer lined up
David de Gea's contract expires at the conclusion of the season, although Manchester United has the option to extend his contract by another year.
Manchester United is reportedly considering letting David de Gea leave when his current contract ends in June.
The 32-year-contract old’s expires at the conclusion of the season, but Erik ten Hag’s team has the option to extend it for another year. Marcus Rashford, Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw, Fred, Phil Jones, and Tom Heaton are also in a similar scenario.
The speculation over De Gea’s departure coincides with United’s interest in Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who is also out of contract in June. The 33-year-old Swiss goalkeeper has played 634 club appearances and represented his country at the World Cup in Qatar.
According to Sky Sports in Germany, United is not considering automatically extending De Gea’s contract for another year at this time. Ten Hag is said to be keen to purchase a new first-choice goalkeeper, but De Gea wants to stay at Old Trafford.
De Gea is currently the club’s highest-paid player, earning a staggering £375,000 per week after Cristiano Ronaldo left by mutual consent last month. The Red Devils are unlikely to offer the Premier League-winning goalie another long-term contract at that salary.
In comparison, Sommer earns £62,000 per week at Monchengladbach, according to Salary Sport. If he joined United on a free transfer, he would almost certainly receive a significant wage increase, but not nearly as much as De Gea presently receives.
As a result, De Gea’s pay may need to be considerably reduced in order to clinch another long-term contract at Old Trafford. The Spaniard’s talent is undeniable, as he has been named to the PFA Team of the Year five times and has won the Premier League Golden Glove.
United is going through its most difficult period in a generation. They’ve only won three major titles since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in May 2013, but De Gea’s form has remained consistent. During the last nine years, he has won a club-record four Player of the Year accolades.
If Ten Hag is to make a decision on De Gea’s future, he must do it as quickly as possible. Once he reaches the final six months of his United contract on January 1, foreign clubs are permitted to formally sign a pre-contract arrangement with him.
To prevent losing specific players on a free transfer next summer, the Red Devils are likely to make a declaration on the futures of De Gea, Rashford, Shaw, Dalot, Fred, Jones, and Heaton between now and New Year’s Day.
Ten Hag has hinted at keeping all of these players, including De Gea, on board. He recently told reporters, “We are talking with them about extending their contracts, but we are in control since we have options on all of the players, and we will exercise these rights.”
When asked about De Gea particularly, he stated, “Like I said, we have alternatives and we will do them.”
United is thinking about invoking the pre-contract agreement clause to sign Sommer. The 80-cap international has appeared in a number of big tournaments, including the Champions League. During the 2019/20 season, he was named to the Bundesliga Team of the Season.
“I am now having very open discussions with the club [about an extension],” Sommer remarked in the summer. “I admit it took me a long time to analyze the previous season and reflect on all that transpired [Monchengladbach finished 10th in the Bundesliga].”
