Despite his free agent status, David De Gea’s search for a new club continues.
David De Gea, the former Manchester United and Spain custodian, is still looking for a new club this summer.
Despite earlier reports that Real Betis were mulling a transfer for De Gea, the club has subsequently stated that they are not interested in his services. This choice may not come as a surprise given that Betis already has two excellent goalkeepers in the form of highly regarded Rui Silva and extremely seasoned Claudio Bravo.
While Bravo is now out with an injury and Silva is out for four weeks, both are expected to return to full fitness during the next international break, leaving no room in the team for a third senior custodian.
Perhaps more shocking than Betis’ decision to pass on De Gea is the apparent lack of interest from other clubs, despite the fact that he is a free agent. De Gea, at 32 years old, should not be considered past his prime, especially when compared to Silva and Bravo, who are 29 and 40 years old, respectively. Goalkeepers typically peak later in their careers and frequently continue to play at a high level into their retirement years.
A number of things have contributed to De Gea’s problem. To begin with, the goalkeeping market is currently crowded with quality, particularly among the clubs he aspires to join following his 12-year spell at Manchester United.
Second, many coaches see him as a shot-stopper who has not developed other areas of his game, such as playing effectively as a sweeper-keeper or assisting his defenders in building play from a high-press scenario.
His inability to land a dream move to Real Madrid emphasises the importance of these considerations. Real Madrid needed a quick and excellent replacement when Thibaut Courtois suffered a cruciate knee injury at the start of the season. De Gea’s name first surfaced as a possible possibility. However, it quickly became clear that, while he was a big topic on social media, he was not being seriously considered by Real Madrid.
Instead, Real Madrid focused on Yassine ‘Bono’ Bonnou, the Moroccan national team’s No. 1 custodian who previously played for Sevilla. Due to his availability and the impending necessity for a replacement, Real Madrid eventually sought a £17 million deal for Bono.
Bono did not complete the transfer to Real Madrid, instead opting for a £18 million move to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League. Saudi Arabia could be an option for De Gea, but his inclination to return to Spain, where he lives with his Spanish wife, Edurne Garcia, will be considered once all other options have been exhausted.
