Goalkeeper David De Gea said his heart was always with Man Utd on his debut day at Fiorentina.
De Gea played for Man Utd for 12 years, from 2011 to 2023. Here, he was voted the club’s best player of the season four times. At the end of the 2023-2023 season, De Gea won the Premier League Golden Glove. However, Man Utd did not renew his contract and recruited Andre Onana. Since then, De Gea has been unemployed for a year.
However, the 33-year-old goalkeeper did not blame Man Utd. On the contrary, he expressed gratitude to the Old Trafford team when he signed a contract and debuted with Fiorentina on August 12.
“Man Utd is a big club, and my heart is always with them. It is difficult to find motivation for a new chapter in my career after 12 years playing for a top club like Man Utd. But Fiorentina helped me find that again,” De Gea shared.
De Gea on his Fiorentina debut on August 12. Photo: Reuters
In the summer of 2023, Man Utd initially intended to negotiate a contract extension with De Gea. But they asked the Spanish goalkeeper to reduce his salary to stay. De Gea did not accept, so the negotiation fell through. De Gea is seventh in the list of players with the most appearances for Man Utd , with 545 times.
De Gea signed a one-year contract with Fiorentina. During his time at Man Utd, he was considered the world’s top goalkeeper and was once included in FIFA’s best team. However, after a year out of the game, whether De Gea can regain his form is still a question mark.
“It was difficult for me to find motivation to consider the offers. So I decided to take a year off. I am completely healthy and still training every day, even more than before. Maybe it will take a while for me to play my first match. But I have been playing for many years, so just put me in goal and everything will be fine,” De Gea said.
The 33-year-old goalkeeper thanked Fiorentina for giving him the opportunity, praising the club’s rich tradition and passionate fan base. De Gea also confirmed that he has not thought about retiring.
