Despite initially agreeing to extend his tenure at Old Trafford, the club withdrew their offer and presented a new contract with reduced wages, prompting the Spanish goalkeeper to opt for departure after dedicating 12 years to the Red Devils.
Now aged 33, De Gea awaits his next footballing venture, with his most recent competitive appearance dating back to United’s defeat against Manchester City in the FA Cup final last June, where he faced criticism for conceding both goals.
However, reports from Catalan outlet Mundo Deportivo suggest that De Gea could soon find himself wearing the colors of Barcelona.
Barcelona, facing financial constraints, have been cautious in their transfer dealings, spending just €3.4m on transfer fees last summer and allocating their entire €40m winter budget to the acquisition of Brazilian forward Vitor Roque.
Hence, they view the signing of De Gea on a free transfer as a prudent move to strengthen their goalkeeping ranks.
Although Marc-Andre ter Stegen currently holds the starting goalkeeper position, recent rumors linking him to the Saudi Pro League have raised uncertainties about his future.
Meanwhile, Inaki Pena has shown promise during his appearances this season, potentially attracting interest from other clubs.
If De Gea joins Barcelona, he is more likely to assume a backup role behind Ter Stegen, with the Catalan club hesitant to part ways with the German shot-stopper.
Last summer, De Gea was in talks for a move to Barcelona’s arch-rivals Real Madrid following an ACL injury to Thibaut Courtois, but Madrid opted to secure the services of Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan from Chelsea instead.
Bayern Munich also considered signing De Gea as a backup goalkeeper before ultimately turning to Israel international Daniel Peretz.
Despite interest from clubs like Nottingham Forest and Saudi Pro League outfit Al Shabab during the January transfer window, De Gea remained without a club as those potential moves failed to materialize.
De Gea’s future in football remains uncertain, but the possibility of joining Barcelona on a free transfer presents an intriguing opportunity for the experienced goalkeeper to continue his career at a prestigious club, albeit in a potentially secondary role.
