In his seventh season now for Manchester United, David De Gea has moved house.
You see, he’s living in a different stratosphere these days.
As the argument rumbles on about whether or not the Spaniard is the best goalkeeper in the world, another question should be asked – a more serious one. Is David De Gea the best footballer on the planet right now? Never mind goalkeeper, is he the best player?
Regardless, no-one is going to dispute the fact that De Gea is pretty decent – if they do, stop talking to them.
Against Arsenal, he showed off the talent that’s reinventing the goalkeeping position. Like Messi and Ronaldo normalised the goal per game ratio, the Manchester United stopper has made his freak saves a thing of everyday routine – this is just what ‘keepers should be able to do now, that sort of thing.
He made 14 stops in total against Arsenal. 14.
You could say they were routine saves but they’re only routine for David De Gea. They were routinely breathtaking.
It hasn’t always been like this for the imposing number one though.
When he joined United back in the summer of 2011 as a gangly 20-year-old, it was a tough start for the former Atletico goalie who was targeted by Premier League clubs to test his mettle in those early days.
He made mistakes, he looked unconvincing at times but Alex Ferguson stood by him, publicly and privately. He never doubted that De Gea would turn into a top goalkeeper and, now, a Premier League, an FA Cup, a League Cup and a Europa League later and the 27-year-old looks every inch the best in the world.
But it wasn’t just Fergie who foresaw De Gea’s greatness. Far from it. Meanwhile in Sligo, United fan Séamus Bannon watched on with interest as the Madrid native arrived at Old Trafford ahead of his signing.
Back in June 2011, the Irishman called it – “this could be one of, if not the, best signings Ferguson has ever made.”
https://twitter.com/seamus_bannon/status/85356599681617920
It couldn’t have been easy.
As De Gea had his doubters, Bannon had them before the man even put on a United shirt.
Doubt him now.
