David De Gea has announced his departure from Manchester United, bringing an end to a 12-year stay during which he secured an array of trophies and personal accolades to cement his place as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of the club – Manchester United

During the weekend, a statement was released by Manchester United, announcing that David De Gea will be departing from the club. The news has sparked an outpouring of tributes from pundits, commentators, teammates, retired players, and football fans, acknowledging De Gea’s 12-year tenure. While many may find the sudden turn of events surprising, there are a few, myself included, who anticipated this outcome. Consequently, pundits have begun gathering articles that highlight De Gea’s remarkable and record-breaking career at the club, even proclaiming him as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of Manchester United. However, it is worth considering whether this narrative is grounded in factual evidence or driven by sentimental value.

As a Manchester United supporter myself, I will present an unpopular viewpoint regarding the overall assessment of the situation. David De Gea, who has made 545 appearances and achieved 190 clean sheets, has had a divisive career regardless of public opinion. In a previous blog post, I criticized his playing style, and in my most recent blog post titled The Golden Glove Award, I explicitly pointed out the imbalance in evaluating goalkeepers based solely on the number of clean sheets in a season, which creates an illusion. Despite his statistical analysis indicating an average season at best, he won the award for the 2022/2023 season. It’s worth noting that David De Gea signed a four-year contract extension with Manchester United on September 16, 2019, which would have kept him at the club until 2023. On the surface, it seemed that the club ended their relationship because they couldn’t reach an agreement on a new contract. Considering his recent achievements and “record-breaking” feats, wouldn’t it be logical to retain him for another 4 to 5 years?

The story has more depth than what initially meets the eye, as an investigative mind would notice. The unexpected nature of his departure, as perceived by the majority, holds significance. Additionally, the immediate outpouring of well wishes and praises from pundits, teammates, managers, and professionals shapes the narrative and should be taken into account. It is a fact that Manchester United’s reputation as one of the most feared teams in the English Premier League (EPL) and Europe has declined due to their defensive and attacking strategic game plan. Consequently, they have decided that it is the right time for a change. I have previously highlighted the declining goalkeeping skills of De Gea in recent years, which is reflected in Manchester United’s diminishing returns on their valuable asset. While there are several reasons and opinions explaining this situation, I will focus on three factors: –

• Goalkeeping style
• Character
• Contractual agreement

Goalkeeping Style

De Gea has a distinctive style of goalkeeping that sets him apart from traditional methods. Spanish goalkeepers, including De Gea, often undergo extensive training in smaller goal sizes and participate in match-like scenarios to enhance their reflexes and timing. One prevalent technique in these settings is known as the spreader save, where the goalkeeper goes down on one knee and stretches their body, with arms wide apart, to make a block. However, implementing this technique effectively in a standard-sized goal can be challenging. If relied upon excessively, it becomes predictable and can be easily exploited by intelligent opponents.

De Gea has made numerous saves using the spreader save technique, frequently using his feet to block shots, as exemplified in the 2019 Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur. The issue arises when opposing teams recognize this one-dimensional style of play and encourage their strikers to find alternative ways to exploit the spreader save. Regardless of the distance before the shot is taken, De Gea’s 1-on-1 performance consistently reveals his reliance on the spreader save, which, overall, is highly exploitable. Over the course of twelve seasons, consistently utilizing the spreader save only offers him an equal chance at making a successful save, which is far from optimal gameplay.

It would be interesting to understand the dynamics between De Gea and the goalkeeping coaching staff regarding his playing style, but unfortunately, this information remains undisclosed. Another concern regarding his game is the increasing number of errors he has made in recent seasons (very weak in attacking crosses and poor shot stopping skill choices), resulting in goals conceded, with more than half of them occurring in the current season. It is worth considering that De Gea, being human and living through traumatic global events with the rest of us over the past three years, may have been affected in ways that are not fully known or understood. While this is subjective and should be taken with caution, coincidentally, it aligns with his recent decline in form in recent seasons.

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Character

Character is an essential quality that holds immense significance in the realm of elite goalkeeping. Esteemed goalkeepers such as Oliver Kahn, Peter Schmeichel, Bernard Lama, Pepe Reina, Hope Solo, Luis Chilavert, Bruce Grobbelaar, Gianluigi Buffon, Gianluca Pagliuca, and others who merit recognition possess characters that are founded on self-confidence and exceptional abilities. These qualities not only earn them admiration and respect from their teammates but also from their rivals. In the present era, where average performance is often equated with excellence, primarily due to societal changes like “social reconstruction,” “progressivism,” and “inclusivity,” it is not surprising to witness De Gea being regarded as one of the greats.

Roy Keane, the well-known former player of Manchester United and current Sky Sports pundit, has been openly critical of De Gea’s performances in recent seasons. While opinions within the football community regarding Keane’s criticism of De Gea differ, it is essential to recognize Keane’s experience as a key figure in a consistently successful team. Keane was also the captain of one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of the sport, who achieved significant honors. Personally, I fully agree with Keane’s evaluation that De Gea, at best, is a decent goalkeeper. When Keane emphasizes the importance of goalkeepers simply doing their job, he receives criticism for supposedly undervaluing the significance of the goalkeepers mentality, complexities and dynamics of scenarios a one faces in games. Once more, it appears that mediocrity is being widely embraced as excellence. This mindset generates an inaccurate and twisted perception of what truly deserves recognition, and occasionally the consequences of this assumption are revealed in the harshest and least forgiving ways. Old Trafford, once renowned as an imposing stronghold that instilled fear in any opposing team prior to significant matches, has now lost its intensity to the point where today’s opponents anticipate achieving favorable outcomes.  Additionally, opposing strikers consider De Gea a vulnerable target, as they have confidence in their ability to score against him, as indicated by expected goals statistics.

Manchester United has acknowledged the need for substantial alterations to revive the club’s winning ethos and reclaim the crucial attribute that historically drove the club to success—character.  It would be naive to unquestioningly accept comments about David De Gea’s impressive “record breaking” 12-year career from the club, the manager, or the media. Press release statements generally follow a protocol of demonstrating diplomacy and integrity to all parties involved regardless of the subject matter and/or context. The aim is to avoid causing offense or damaging relationships, unless one possesses the boldness and fearlessness exemplified by Roy Keane, which is a testament to one’s character.

Contractual Agreement

The player’s representative/agent holds exclusive accountability for securing the most favorable contractual agreement on behalf of their client during negotiations with the club, taking into account the player’s perceived market value. The intricate aspects of the contract lie within the clauses that both the player and the club must abide by, and the stakes are considerably elevated when significant financial resources are at play.

Regarding David De Gea, we can make reasonably accurate speculations about his recent four-year contract, which he signed in 2019. These speculations are based on his past accomplishments and what is expected of him in the future as a valuable asset for Manchester United. Before signing the lucrative extension worth 19.5 million pounds per year, he had won several trophies. These include the Premier League title in 2013, the English Super Cup in 2012, 2014, and 2017, the Europa League in 2017, the FA Cup in 2016, and the English League Cup in 2017. Throughout the duration of his recent contract, he only managed to achieve one trophy, the English League Cup in 2023. Manchester United made a significant investment in him, and it is speculated (although not confirmed) that a crucial part of the contract states that for the club to continue working with De Gea, he must meet certain achievement quotas that hold equal value to the lucrative deal. Failure to meet these quotas may result in the termination of the relationship between the two parties, with specific terms and conditions in place to govern the manner of termination. The timing of the official announcement, coupled with the tributes flowing in at the same time as the expiration of his contractual agreement, supports the validity of this credible explanation.

Conclusion

After careful analysis, I have come to the realization that the abundance of financial rewards in the realm of sports and games has led to a blurring of the perception of talent and hard work when considering individual athletes. This distortion occurs when insignificant factors are taken into account during the assessment process. Among team sports, particularly football/soccer, which is a global phenomenon, the monetary investments involved far surpass those of other sports. This, in turn, creates a situation where a player’s value can be influenced by their nationality rather than their actual abilities and accomplishments, resulting in a distorted reality. Consequently, the natural progression of the sport is unconsciously hindered, and mediocrity replaces excellence. In the words of Lawrence Garfield, portrayed by Danny DeVito in “Other People’s Money,” the phrase “Money Talks and Bullshit Walks” couldn’t be further from the truth.

It raises the question of whether Manchester United genuinely believed they had made a significant deal that would yield substantial benefits or if they were driven by unrealistic expectations. It is evident that De Gea’s representatives secured a lucrative contract, earning themselves at least 5% commission for successfully closing the deal. Alternatively, it’s possible that Manchester United achieved a satisfactory return on investment and was pleased with De Gea’s accomplishments. They enthusiastically announced his record-breaking achievement of 190 clean sheets in 545 games over his 12-year tenure at the club. However, it should be noted that this accomplishment holds personal significance rather than being a contractual obligation.

What lies ahead for David De Gea? The Middle East appears to have become a lucrative destination for footballers, with several high-profile players making their move to the Saudi Arabian League. It’s quite possible De Gea’s representatives are eager to seize this opportunity and join the money bag wave, so keep an eye on developments. Finally, I’d like to share my thoughts on the future of goalkeeping. The goalkeeper, occupying the number one position in a team, is the most vital and intricate role that requires individuals with mental resilience, courage, leadership, and character to embrace the associated responsibilities. Only a few elite goalkeepers possess such qualities in the current professional realm. While some may disagree with my assessment, social media platforms offer accessible avenues for sharing opinions, engaging in debates, and having discussions which is of benefit to the audience. As one of the few who recognizes the ongoing evolution of goalkeeping, coupled with the societal “reconstruction” of psychological factors, this shift suggests that mediocrity is now being celebrated as excellence. It is crucial for us to remain vigilant in preserving the pure art of goalkeeping; otherwise, we may witnessing in real time.. The End of an Era.

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