Ten Hag ignored transfer warning from his Man Utd coach - "It would be a crime"
Erik ten Hag sanctioned David de Gea's Manchester United exit just weeks after coach Benni McCarthy warned it would be a "crime" for the Spanish stopper to be allowed to leave Old Trafford.
De Gea left United over the summer after more than a decade with the club. His exit meant there was a brief period where United didn't have a single Premier League champion in their ranks, though this changed when Jonny Evans returned for a second spell after leaving Leicester.
Former South Africa striker McCarthy was one of Ten Hag's first hires, joining in the summer of 2022 as a forwards' coach. The 45-year-old's praise of De Gea wasn't enough to keep the former Atletico Madrid man around, though, despite reports of a new deal for the keeper being close towards the end of last season.
"He kept 17 clean sheets in the league. Yes, of course, you’re going to concede, but to win the Golden Glove for yet another season is remarkable," McCarthy told 947 Joburg in June.
"You see how difficult the league is so I understand that everyone has a bad game here and there, but it doesn’t stop him from being one of the best goalkeepers I’ve seen and I’ve worked with. He is unbelievable."
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De Gea left United upon the expiry of his contract, following some high-profile errors towards the end of his time at Old Trafford, with Andre Onana arriving as United's new first choice keeper. The 32-year-old has yet to find a new club since his departure, but McCarthy's prior comments point to his respect for the player.
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David de Gea has yet to find a new club (Action Foto Sport/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock)"I work with him every single day and I get to see first-hand more than what most people get to do," McCarthy added. "You only see him on a Saturday or on a matchday, and if you see him make a mistake the critics hit the roof.
"But I get to spend every single day with him and he is an unbelievable guy, a great lad, very intelligent and one of the best goalkeepers I have seen. It would be a crime if Man United lose a goalkeeper like David de Gea."
New signing Onana has had a mixed start to life as United's keeper. The Cameroon international has kept three clean sheets in all competitions but also came in for criticism after a howler against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
"This is a nightmare scenario for Onana," former United defender Rio Ferdinand said on TNT Sports after Onana was beaten by a tame Leroy Sane effort. "He is confident as you like with his feet, we were sitting there saying wow with some of his passes, but as a goalkeeper you are paid to come in there and make saves.
"This is a great bit of skill from Sane to set it up as well, but he does not hit it with any purpose - it’s not wide, it’s not in the corners and Onana and his reaction afterwards, he should save this. It is meat and drink for him and he should be picking this up and looking for his next pass - it’s a bad mistake and one that he needs to recover from."
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