David de Gea’s year out from Manchester United – Altrincham training, padel and where he could return

What happened to David de Gea?

It’s a question many fans have been asking themselves since the Spanish goalkeeper’s unexpected departure from Manchester United a year ago. The Athletic reported at the time that De Gea had signed an extension, before the club pulled out and parted ways with the long-term No.1.

De Gea made 545 appearances in 12 years at United, placing him seventh on their all-time list. He was capped 45 times for his country and won his second Premier League Golden Glove in his final season with United – but has since been without a club.

This week we reported in the Transfer DealSheet that he was closing in on a return to football after being presented with a number of options, including a club each in Saudi Arabia, the United States and Italy. He expects to have news about his future next week.

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Back in January, we detailed why he didn’t join a new club and what he’s been up to since – but it’s now 417 days since he made his last appearance, in the 2023 FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City.

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So what did the 33-year-old do?

The AthleticNews of De Gea’s future came after he posted a message on X on Saturday: an hourglass emoji.

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— David de Gea (@D_DeGea) July 20, 2024

It’s not the first time he’s been cryptic on social media. Two days before it was announced he would be leaving United last July, he posted a juggler boy emoji. The previous month, he posted a yawning face in an apparent reference to rumors about his future.

In his first few months without the team, sources — who, like everyone quoted in this article, have asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships — said De Gea was considering retirement.

The Spaniard was angry at those he held responsible for his departure: manager Erik ten Hag and the club’s then director of football John Murtough. De Gea has even told his inner circle that he would be happy to return to United if those two figures are no longer there.

After four to five months of relaxing and taking a break from the game, De Gea realized he missed football and began working towards a return. He remained at his home in Manchester until the end of 2023 for tax reasons rather than return to Spain.

He no longer saw retirement as an option and began training three to four times a week with a goalkeeping coach recommended by Richard Harris, who holds the role at United.

De Gea has not lost touch with his team-mates or other United staff, as his Instagram feed makes clear. He owns a sports team called Rebels Gaming, in which his former teammates Bruno Fernandes and Juan Mata own shares. he is known to have visited Old Trafford or the club’s Carrington training ground since leaving.

He combined physical and goalkeeping training with padel — racquet sport is one of his favorite hobbies and he devotes several hours a week to it.

De Gea trained in Manchester and was pictured as recently as April doing individual work at non-League Altrincham, based in the city on the outskirts of the city where the Spaniard lives. He used the Spanish Football Federation facilities in Las Rozas, Madrid and continued this activity in his hometown of Illescas, a town in the neighboring province of Toledo.

Those in close contact with him during the process say he has trained hard and is fit and keen to return to elite football. They say he had multiple offers last summer and has more options this year, but add that he preferred to wait for the right project.

De Gea was once a client of Portuguese ‘super agent’ Jorge Mendes, but in recent transfer windows he has been represented by a little-known lawyer, Jose Carlos Bouzas. He takes over his business with a friend and trusted advisor.

The goalkeeper parted ways with Mendes because he did not want a dedicated agent, turning instead to his inner circle. This has slowed his search for a new team, given the connections professional agents have.

He hopes to settle his future in the coming days and announce his new club shortly. His priority is a club and a city that will guarantee stability for him and his family — his wife, Edurne — a well-known singer in Spain — and their daughter, Yanay.

His preferred option in the US would be on the west coast, but there is a chance he could stay in Europe. He has no offers from Spain — where he began his career with Atletico Madrid in 2009 — and sources close to him say he has no plans to play for another English team apart from United.

So De Gea’s options are still open – but the move will end a year out of the game for someone previously seen as one of Europe’s best goalkeepers.

(Top photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)