The former Manchester United goalkeeper is in talks with Al Shabab to return to the pitch in the January 2024 transfer window.
According to the Daily Mail, the negotiations are progressing positively. There is a high chance that fans will see De Gea put on his gloves and play again in the top flight of Saudi Arabia in the second half of the season.
Al Shabab is currently in 11th place in the Saudi Pro League table. Therefore, the club is actively recruiting new players to improve the situation. De Gea’s class and experience could help Al Shabab’s defense become more solid.
In addition to De Gea, Al Shabab has also contacted Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla), Miguel Almiron (Newcastle) and Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea).
Personally, De Gea has been unemployed since leaving Manchester United. He spent 12 years with the “Red Devils” and was very popular at Old Trafford. However, the former Atletico Madrid goalkeeper was unceremoniously dropped by manager Erik Ten Hag after the 2022/23 season.
The Dutch coach is said to have influenced Manchester United not to renew with De Gea. Instead, the former Ajax coach brought in Andre Onana to start this season. However, Onana played poorly and received a lot of criticism.
De Gea has 545 appearances, keeping a clean sheet in 169 matches. He helped Manchester United win 1 Premier League, 1 Europa League, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cups, and 3 FA Community Shields. In the 2022/23 season, De Gea won the Premier League Golden Glove.
