Is David de Gea stuck as a No.2? Fiorentina boss Raffaele Palladino sends clear message to ex-Man Utd goalkeeper after benching him for second successive Serie A game

De Gea found himself without a club for over a year following his departure from Manchester United when the Premier League side decided not to renew his £375,000-a-week contract, leaving the Spaniard in limbo. After a lengthy period of uncertainty, De Gea signed with Fiorentina, but his return to regular competitive football has been far from smooth.

The Spanish shot-stopper endured a tough start to his Fiorentina career and during his debut in a UEFA Conference League qualifier, he conceded three goals, including two within the first 15 minutes and a late equaliser in the 89th minute - with the game ending in a 3-3 draw.

Despite the rocky start, De Gea managed to redeem himself in the second leg of the Conference League qualifier. After the match went to a penalty shootout, the veteran goalkeeper emerged as the hero, making crucial saves that secured Fiorentina's passage to the group stage of the third-tier European tournament.

However, De Gea's heroics in Europe weren't enough to earn him a starting spot in Serie A. In Fiorentina's latest league match against Monza, Palladino once again opted to start Pietro Terracciano over the Spanish veteran, which fuelled speculation that the former Red Devil is reduced to being a cup keeper and will be the No.2 in Serie A.

However, after the 2-2 draw against Monza, the Italian manager emphasised that there is no established pecking order between De Gea and Terracciano at the moment.

"There isn’t a hierarchy right now. I wanted to see De Gea and Terracciano to understand," Palladino explained. "I am happy with both. David hadn’t played for a year, so I preferred Terracciano. We’ll evaluate a few things in the coming days."

Palladino's decision to bench him in favour of Terracciano could indicate a cautious approach, allowing De Gea more time to regain his form after a prolonged absence from regular football. The international break comes at an opportune moment as De Gea will get two weeks to prove his mettle in training and make a case before La Viola face Atalanta on September 15.