David de Gea has seen his long-term future with Manchester United called into question with the Red Devils unsure over whether to extend his current Old Trafford deal.
The Spaniard has been the club’s number one goalkeeper ever since his arrival from La Liga giants Atletico Madrid in 2011 but sees his contract expire in the summer. He has gone on to make 495 appearances for United ever since, winning a Premier League title, the Europa League, the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in that time.
Despite that, it appears that he could potentially be on the way out of Old Trafford sooner rather than later with the club having not yet come to a decision over his long-term future.
According to The Telegraph, club officials are unsure over whether to activate an extension written into his contract. Should they do that, De Gea would then be tied down to the Red Devils until 2024 with his current contract set to expire next summer.
The reason for the Red Devils’ current hesitance is due to their ever-growing wage bill. As confirmed by their official accounts, the club’s wage bill increased by £61.6m throughout the duration of the 2021/22 season following the arrivals of Cristiano Ronado, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane. That increase has led to United making a net loss of around £115.5m.
The Red Devils’ wage bill could yet be set to rise even further over the next 12 months following a summer splurge that saw them spend around £215m.
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De Gea could well be one of those to be sacrificed in order to lower that number - the 31-year-old reportedly earning £350,000 per week - albeit that pay packet having fallen last term following Utd’s failure to qualify for the Champions League.
Should he be allowed to leave, then it appears that the Red Devils already have a potential successor in mind. As per the reports, England number one Jordan Pickford could become an option sooner rather than later.
It is suggested that his home-grown status and the fact that he has less than two years left on his current Everton contract are appealing factors behind a potential move for the 28-year-old.
The stopper has of course been with Everton since a big-money move from Sunderland back in 2017 and has gone on to make 205 appearances for the Merseyside outfit.
Regardless, De Gea has regularly reaffirmed his commitment to the Red Devils by stating that he cannot see himself playing anywhere else at the current time.
Speaking in February, he said: “I like the fact I was born in Madrid, but at the end of the day, it’s just a city. Now I feel as if I’m from Manchester; I just feel like anyone else from Manchester. Where you are loved and welcomed is your home.
“I’ve been here for many years and, obviously, anything can happen in life, in the world of football, but honestly I don’t see myself away from Manchester United.”
