20 November 2023 , 22:38
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David de Gea has turned down the chance to join his former teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo, in Saudi Arabia and could instead join Lionel Messi in the MLS.
The former Manchester United goalkeeper, 33, is still a free agent after leaving Old Trafford in the summer and has been touted as a potential signing for a host of clubs. De Gea was most recently linked with a return to United to provide cover for Andre Onana, who is set to jet off to the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
It's likely De Gea will continue to attract interest and a switch overseas would seem to be the most likely move for the former Spain international - but a reunion with Ronaldo in the Middle East is definitely not on the cards.
According to a new report from The Sun, De Gea has turned down a lucrative proposal worth £500,000-a-week from Al-Nassr: Ronaldo's current club. It's claimed that De Gea's wife, Edurne, is not keen on moving to Saudi Arabia, meaning the veteran shot-stopper will not link up with the ambitious Saudi Pro League outfit.
While De Gea won't be joining Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, he does have other options on the table. The chance to link up with Messi at Inter Miami in the United States does appeal to De Gea, who is also admired by Valencia. Their interest could be scuppered by financial restrictions, though.
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De Gea has fuelled speculation of a return to Old Trafford by hanging around with a host of former teammates in Manchester in recent weeks. He responded to reports linking him with his former club with a cryptic post on social media a fortnight ago.
It had seemed as though De Gea would extend his 12-year stay at Old Trafford before Ten Hag opted to make a change and pursued Onana. De Gea confirmed the news - which took plenty of people by surprise - in an emotional social media statement.
Join the debate! Where do you think De Gea will end up next? Let us know here.
De Gea has snubbed the opportunity to reunite with Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)His statement read: “I took incredible pride every time I pulled on this shirt, to lead the team, to represent this institution, the biggest club in the world was an honour only bestowed upon a few lucky footballers. It’s been an unforgettable and successful period since I came here.
“I didn’t think from leaving Madrid as a young boy we would achieve what we did together. Now, it’s the right time to undertake a new challenge, to push myself again in new surroundings. Manchester will always be in my heart, Manchester has shaped me and will never leave me.”