Erik ten Hag refuses to confirm David de Gea will be Man Utd’s No1 as boss sends stark warning to blunder-prone keeper
MANCHESTER UNITED manager Erik ten Hag refused to guarantee David de Gea will be his No1 next season.
De Gea‘s contract runs out in June but Ten Hag has been confident the Spanish stopper will extend his 12-year stint at Old Trafford with a new deal.
However, the Dutch tactician is adamant there will be no promises for the 32-year-old and hinted he may sign another goalkeeper to provide competition.
Ten Hag told The Times when asked if De Gea will be at United next season: “Yes, but I will not say he’ll always be my No1 because in a club like Man United there must be competition in all positions.
“You can’t do it with 11 players. It is impossible. You need double positions.”
Ten Hag has shown he likes to play out from the back throughout this season.
Although De Gea is an elite shot-stopper, he still struggles with his footwork.
And, despite winning the Golden Glove for the most clean sheets in the Premier League, he has committed a number of costly blunders this season while trying to carry out his manager’s tactics.
The ex-Ajax boss admitted the Spain international had to “step up” but insists he is happy with his progress.
Ten Hag added: “It’s not what I want, it’s more what top football demands nowadays.
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“If you observe the biggest teams, you have to be capable of playing from the back, and use your keeper as a plus one in your back, otherwise it’s very simple for opponents to put you under pressure.
“He [De Gea] had to step up. In a number of games, he showed progression.”
But if the United keeper agrees to renew he will have to accept a substantial pay cut.
SunSport recently revealed the Spaniard has a new deal on the table, which would see his present £375,000-a-week basic salary drop by nearly 50 per cent.