‘De Gea is the best Premier League keeper of the last 10 years’ – Maguire lauds Man Utd team-mate

David de Gea has been lauded as “the best Premier League keeper in the last 10 years” by Manchester United team-mate Harry Maguire.

There was a time not all that long ago when the Spaniard was relatively unchallenged when it comes to the pick of shot-stopping talent in the English top-flight.

While the Red Devils toiled as a collective in the wake of Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, De Gea was able to maintain an impressive level of consistency. That allowed him to collect a record-setting haul of four Player of the Year awards at Old Trafford, while also being voted into five PFA Teams of the Year.

The likes of Alisson and Ederson have helped to raise the bar when it comes to the art of goalkeeping in recent times, but Maguire believes United still have the pick of the bunch.

The Red Devils captain told MUTV of the man who operates behind him forming a formidable last line of defence: “Having played under him I’ve realised how good of a keeper he is.

“I’ve watched him over the years in the Premier League and for me he’s been the best Premier League keeper in the last 10 years or so. To play under him this year, it’s been great to see how he goes about his business in training each day, he’s an excellent trainer.”

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De Gea is not the only United colleague that Maguire holds in the highest regard. Having once been charged with the task of trying to contain the threat posed by Marcus Rashford, the England centre-half is happy to now be on the same side as a jet-heeled forward.

Maguire believes a team-mate at domestic and international level is capable of reaching the very top of the game, with there still plenty of potential for him to unlock at the age of 22.

He added on Rashford: “I’ve always spoken so highly of Marcus when I was with him at England. I can’t speak highly enough of him. I think he’s going to go on to have an exceptional career.

“I think he’s going to go on to – I don’t want to put too much pressure on him – be a wonderful player for Manchester United, as he is now.”

Prior to suffering an untimely back injury, which threatened his involvement at Euro 2020 before the event was pushed back by 12 months, Rashford had delivered a personal-best return of 19 goals in the 2019-20 campaign.

He has been used a central striker by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at times, but admits to being more comfortable in the wide attacking role that he has grown accustomed to filling for club and country.