- Made United debut in August 2011.
- Set for 500th start in a Red Devil jersey
- Ten Hag hails the keeper as a leader
WHAT HAPPENED? The Spanish international was signed by Sir Alex Ferguson as a replacement for Edwin van der Sar, with United paying a then British-record fee for a goalkeeper of £18.9 million ($21.1M) to Atletico Madrid. De Gea has gone on to represent United for over a decade and Ten Hag has heaped praise on the keeper for his high standards and ability to lead when required.
WHAT THEY SAID: "It is fantastic. If you perform in 500 games for a club like Manchester United, that tells a lot about you. The talent, the personality – so that achievement is huge and I really reward that, I value that, and I want to congratulate him [for] that," the manager stated.
"He has one of the highest standards. He is pushing everyone every time, and to himself he does what he can, he gives 100 per cent, but that is also what we expect from him – that is the demand. He is an experienced player, he is one of the leaders, so we have to show that to push the team, then you have to be the example by itself," he added.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: De Gea is currently the longest-serving player in the dressing room, but his future is uncertain, with his current contract set to expire at the end of the season. Although United have the option of triggering a 12-month extension, the 31-year-old recently admitted that he was keen to sign fresh terms at Old Trafford.
IN A PHOTO:
Getty Images WHAT NEXT FOR DE GEA? The keeper, who is 11th on the club’s all-time list for most appearances, is set to face Newcastle United on Sunday in the Premier League.