Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea’s brilliant form for Fiorentina has put his name in the conversation for best goalkeeper in Europe this season.
Ten Hag has spent €645.8 million on new players to strengthen his project, and yet one could not confidently say the Red Devils are a better quality side now.
The decision to let long-term servant De Gea depart on a free transfer and replace him with €50m-recruit Andre Onana has certainly been one of the Dutch coach’s most talked about moves at Old Trafford.
Now, De Gea’s exploits in Italy are starting to raise further question marks on Ten Hag’s decision.
The Spaniard, who spent 12 seasons in Manchester, had to wait over a year to find a new club. Fiorentina placed their trust in him during the summer, securing his services on a one-year contract.
So far, Fiorentina’s move has proven to be a masterstroke, with De Gea putting in commanding showings for the Florence-based outfit on a regular basis.
Last weekend, he raised plenty of eyebrows by saving two penalties to help Fiorentina seal a memorable 2-1 win over AC Milan. He also made an incredible save to deny Samuel Chukwueze’s strike from rattling the net.
Not only has the veteran shot-stopper passed the eye test, but he has also managed to record impressive stats. As per WhoScored, he has made 4.3 saves per game in Serie A so far this term.
More impressively, with a WhoScored rating of 7.61, the 33-year-old is the highest rated goalkeeper in Europe’s top five leagues.
David de Gea is the highest rated goalkeeper in Europe’s top five leagues this season (7.61). 🧤 pic.twitter.com/5AGhihinBI
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) October 11, 2024
Meanwhile, Onana has shown promise this campaign, but he is yet to establish himself as a reliable figure between the sticks.
The former Inter Milan star was billed as an elite ball-playing goalkeeper. However, more often than not, Ten Hag has demanded his side to play long rather than build from the back, failing to maximise strengths of yet another of his signings.
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