Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has been left with a difficult decision to make: stay at the club he's spent 12 years of his career with or leave on a free transfer amid lucrative offers from elsewhere.
This decision comes after The Athletic reported on Tuesday that De Gea signed a contract extension at the club only for United to back out of the agreed proposal.
The Spaniard's contract at Old Trafford is due to expire on June 30, but he agreed to drastically reduce his £375,000-a-week wages to stay at the club.
However, Manchester United didn't sign the contract they initially offered, instead submitting a new offer to the Spaniard on even lower wages. Understandably, De Gea is yet to agree to the new terms, leaving him with a decision to make ahead of the new season.
So what next for David De Gea at Manchester United?
Stay and fight for the No.1 spot
Not since his first season at Manchester United, in the 2011/12 campaign, has David De Gea been questioned so much. Notable errors against Sevilla in the Europa League quarter-finals stand out from the most recent season, with some critics even suggesting he was at fault for Ilkay Gundogan's double for Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Despite the criticism, though, the 32-year-old still performed well for the Red Devils, as he won the second Golden Glove of his career by keeping 17 clean sheets in the Premier League. There are more pressing issues within the Manchester United first-team that Ten Hag will likely want to sort out before the goalkeeping situation, too, such as the striking options and signing Mason Mount.
De Gea certainly isn't one to shy away from a battle for the No.1 spot either. During his time at the club, Victor Valdes, Sergio Romero and Dean Henderson have all staked a claim to become the starting 'keeper, and all have failed to permanently dislodge the Spaniard. Henderson returns to Old Trafford this summer hopeful of impressing Ten Hag, but his comments at the beginning of last season won't have gone down well.
Reportedly happy in Manchester with his family, De Gea also has considerations outside of the football club, such as if he wants to move his children to a different country.
Regardless, De Gea still has the ability to stay at Manchester United - whether he's happy to have been humiliated by the club is a different matter.
Saudi Arabia is calling
According to The Athletic, clubs in Saudi Arabia are keeping an eye on De Gea's situation at Manchester United, and could offer him a lucrative deal to head to the Middle East. With his contract set to drastically reduce if he stays in England, playing in the Saudi Pro League definitely offers a way for him to maintain his sizeable income.
Coupling that with the fact that Ten Hag seemingly isn't convinced by his shot stopper, a departure could be best for both parties. The Daily Mail even reported that Erik ten Hag's uncertainty about De Gea is the reason Manchester United backed out of a new contract, suggesting he would rather funds go towards a new goalkeeper.
And a new goalkeeping arrival does seem likely. Inter Milan's Andre Onana has been heavily linked in recent weeks over a £50m move, while Diogo Costa could be available on a cut-price deal as Porto look to balance the books as the threat of breaking UEFA's financial fair play regulations loom over them.
Ten Hag's uncertainty likely focuses on De Gea's lack of technical proficiency in playing the ball out from the back, something that the Dutch manager clearly wants his side to employ but it's a tactic he doesn't trust with the Spaniard on the pitch. If De Gea fancies a life away from the sometimes vitriolic criticism of the press and social media, then now is the perfect opportunity following Manchester United's apparent ineptitude.
More Manchester United news
Manchester United transfer news is doing the rounds, with the Red Devils said to be in the market for several stars this summer.
Mohammed Kudus has been linked and would cost around £40m. Kim Min-jae is seriously linked, while Mason Mount continues to be rumoured, too. Incredibly, Neymar has been linked as well.
Manchester United have also released their new kit for the 2023/24 season, and it could be the nicest collaboration with Adidas they've ever had.
