David de Gea: Ex-United ace’s take on potential Old Trafford return

In partnership with

The Peoples Person

·7. Mai 2026

David de Gea: Ex-United ace’s take on potential Old Trafford return

Manchester United signed Senne Lammens last summer, two years after David de Gea’s departure. The Spaniard left Old Trafford after the expiry of his contract in the summer of 2023, with the Red Devils signing Andre Onana as his replacement.

Fresh from helping Inter Milan reach the Champions League final, the Cameroonian was expected to power the Premier League giants’ resurgence under former manager Erik ten Hag. However, Onana’s time at the Theatre of Dreams turned out to be a disaster.

OneFootball Videos

In his two seasons with United, the Cameroonian divided opinion among fans following a series of high-profile errors, conceding 150 goals in 102 appearances. The English giants ultimately grew tired of his performances last summer and brought in Lammens to address their goalkeeping woes, while offloading Onana on loan to Trabzonspor.

The Belgian custodian has been a revelation so far and looks like the perfect successor to De Gea. The Spaniard, meanwhile, took a one-year sabbatical after leaving United before joining Fiorentina, where he currently plies his trade.

De Gea’s Old Trafford spell

De Gea arrived at United in the summer of 2011 as the legendary Edwin van der Sar’s replacement. The Spaniard had a shaky start to his Old Trafford tenure before becoming one of the pillars of the first team.

The 35 year old won the Premier League under Sir Alex Ferguson and was also the No. 1 through a series of managerial changes. There were moments in the post-Ferguson era where he turned up as a one-man army, single-handedly denying the opposition.

His efforts saw him win the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year Award a record four times, becoming the first player in the club’s history to do so. However, De Gea displayed signs of regression in the latter part of his career at Old Trafford, which is perhaps why the Red Devils opted to controversially part ways with him under Ten Hag.

Since his move to Fiorentina, the Spaniard has regained his mojo and has displayed flashes of the form that endeared him to fans at Old Trafford. This season, he has registered 11 clean sheets in 44 appearances for the Serie A club, and an update on his future has now emerged.

David de Gea Stats: 2025/26 Season

Source: Transfermarkt.

De Gea wants to retire at Fiorentina

According to Tuttomercatoweb, De Gea is settled in Tuscany and wants to retire at Fiorentina. However, he is willing to change his mind if United come calling.

The report states: “At the end of this season, the Spanish goalkeeper will still have two years left on his contract with Fiorentina, running until 2028, and the plan is precisely to see it through to its expiry when he will be almost 38 years old.”

“All this despite long-standing interest from Juventus, who will be looking for a replacement for Di Gregorio next season. According to the latest reports, there is only one club that could tempt him away: Manchester United, a team to which De Gea is inextricably linked, having played there for 12 years, from 2011 to 2023.”

“At the moment, however, no rumours have emerged in this regard, and barring any last-minute surprises, the future of the 1990-born goalkeeper looks set to remain at Fiorentina.”

Final Thoughts

With Lammens going from strength to strength this season and Radek Vitek also impressing on loan at Bristol City, United are unlikely to consider De Gea’s return any time soon. The veteran custodian remains an Old Trafford legend, having registered 188 clean sheets in 545 appearances for the club, but his time with the Red Devils is already over.