Manchester United could profit from a sizable financial windfall by making an important decision on David de Gea’s future next summer. De Gea has made it clear he wants to remain at Old Trafford beyond the end of the season, but his contract is up in July, and his current salary is proving problematic.
The 31-year-old has been the highest-paid goalkeeper in the world since signing a contract extension at United in 2019. He’s the Premier League’s joint-third top earner alongside Haaland, raking in £375,000 a week, behind Cristiano Ronaldo (£515,000) and Kevin De Bruyne (£400,000).
However, as Erik ten Hag aims to restore balance to his squad’s wage bill as part of a culture shift in M16, United are reluctant to keep De Gea on that salary beyond 2023, plunging the club’s option to trigger a further year in his deal into doubt. The Spaniard is reportedly willing to slash his earnings to stay at United, though, which could help the club recoup a significant number of funds.
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If De Gea willingly slashed his salary in half to around £190,000 a week, it would drop him from a top-three earner in the English top-flight to beyond the top 30. It would see United save over £9.5million annually, which would only boost Ten Hag’s efforts to strengthen other areas of his squad in the second year of his rebuild.
Ten Hag has shown a laudable level of authority since taking the reins at Old Trafford, impressing supporters with how he has dealt with dilemmas regarding Harry Maguire, Cristiano Ronaldo and the media in general. It makes it easy to believe he will consider De Gea’s situation a win-win, considering it’s a given the Dutchman will pursue a goalkeeper more suited to his play style regardless.
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