Manchester United may need to part ways with David de Gea, following yet another costly mistake by the Spanish goalkeeper during Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at West Ham United.
United manager Erik ten Hag has been praised for making tough decisions such as letting go of Cristiano Ronaldo and dropping Harry Maguire due to poor form. However, ten Hag’s loyalty to De Gea, despite his recent poor form, could jeopardize the club’s place in next season’s Champions League. De Gea’s poor distribution with the ball and communication skills have been longstanding concerns, as has his reluctance to assert himself during corners. Although he can still make incredible saves, his inconsistency is becoming a liability for the team.
De Gea has one of the worst save percentages in the Premier League this season, second only to Alex McCarthy and Gavin Bazunu, both of whom play for bottom club Southampton. However, De Gea is leading the race for the Golden Glove award, with 15 clean sheets, two more than Aaron Ramsdale, Alisson, and Nick Pope. This reflects the enigmatic nature of the goalkeeper’s performances.
Former United manager Louis van Gaal identified De Gea’s poor distribution in 2015, prompting the signing of Sergio Romero to provide competition. Despite becoming one of the world’s best goalkeepers in recent years, De Gea has struggled with his footwork, and his distribution skills remain below par. His poor communication skills with defenders have also caused misunderstandings, and he has been easily crowded out by opponents during corners. De Gea’s inconsistency is now the only constant in his game, and United’s outfield players are playing without the reassurance that a top goalkeeper provides.
De Gea’s statistical performance during the past three Premier League seasons has been unsatisfactory, ranking him poorly in most key categories compared to his peers. He ranks 13th in goals prevented, with only five keepers conceding more goals than him since the start of the 2020-21 season. He is also seventh when it comes to Expected Goals Against, and only Illan Meslier of Leeds United has a worse save percentage (65.5%) than De Gea (68%) over the last three seasons.
De Gea’s contract with United expires at the end of the season, and while the club has assessed other options, no decision has yet been made. A source close to De Gea reportedly stated that he was keen to return to Spain this summer after 12 years at United. However, no other club in La Liga has a vacancy for a goalkeeper, and the three biggest teams, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Barcelona, already have established goalkeepers.
Ten Hag has expressed full confidence in De Gea, but United’s current situation could be different if the goalkeeper’s performances continue to decline. Dropping him could be tough, but it may be a decision that needs to be made for the team’s success.
