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David de Gea is a player that certainly divides opinion among fans.
The Manchester United goalkeeper is one of the only players at the club to taste success, winning the Premier League in 2011.
Since then, he has been the standout player for United, winning the ‘Player Of The Year’ award four times.
His world-class saves have rescued plenty of points for the team.
However, as football evolves, so do tactics and systems. Now, it is almost imperative for most teams to have a goalkeeper capable of playing out from the back.
De Gea is not the best with the ball at his feet, nor is he an amazing sweeper-keeper.
The Athletic’s Carl Anka highlights this exact issue, which could be a massive problem for Erik ten Hag in the future.
While it might not be United’s number-one priority in the summer, the hunt for a new goalkeeper would be on the club’s mind.
Anka goes on to state:
“David de Gea is a “nice problem” that has the potential to grow into a difficult one if left unattended.”
“My personal interpretation of it was that Ten Hag views the goalkeeper situation as a lower summer priority than signing a No 9 or potentially reworking his midfield.”
The Dutch coach is known for his expansive style of play, deploying a high defensive line at Ajax.
This starkly contrasts his United side, who play extremely deep. Many believe it compensates for De Gea’s inability to sweep effectively.
“Like others at United, there may be a point where the team could outgrow the need for De Gea’s standout skills, and his weaknesses become too great to ignore. Some believe United have already reached that point.”
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