"I like to be born in Madrid, it's true, but it's just a city and now I'm no different from a Manchester native." —David De Gea
Before the first leg of the champions league manchester United away to Atletico Madrid quarter-final, red devils de Gea was interviewed by UEFA's official media about his feelings against his mother team, Atletico Madrid.
If nothing else, De Gea will certainly make his debut as the Red Devils' No. 1 goalkeeper in the early hours of Thursday morning. Atletico's home stadium was calderon, but it has now moved to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
Asked how it felt to return to the capital to fight the old lord, De Gea said: "I like the fact that I was born in Madrid, but at the end of the day, it's just a city. I think Manchester is my home, I feel like I'm from Manchester, no different from any other Manchester native. ”
"Where you are loved and welcomed is your home, I've been here for many years and obviously anything can happen in football and in life, but honestly, I don't think I'm going to leave Manchester United.
"Of course, in the first leg I'm going to go back to my hometown to play, I'm going to go back to the club that gave me the opportunity to have what I have today, but it's just a game. Everybody wants to have a good performance and we want to win the game because it's a big Champions League knockout. ”
"I wish Atletico all the best, but I don't know if the outcome of our race with them is good or bad, to be sure that everyone goes there to win, especially me."
Since leaving the Spanish capital for Old Trafford in the summer of 2011, this is the first time that De Gea has played against his old club on the field, which naturally has a special significance.
United players have generally been less than good this season, but De Gea is almost the only exception. Although United conceded 34 goals in 26 Premier League games, the number of goals conceded would only be higher without The Duck Daddy's basic high-end resistance. The XGA expected goal conceding figures show that Manchester United are 40.3, which means that De Gea has allowed Manchester United to concede 6.3 fewer goals.
With his outstanding performances, De Gea was also named the Premier League Player of the Month of January. This is the first time in De Gea's career that he has won the Premier League Best of the Month award, and the first time in six years that a goalkeeper has been selected as the Best of the Month award in the Premier League, the last time was F-Foster of the Saints in February 2016.
In Manchester United, De Gea has been the Player of the Month for three consecutive months (November, December, January). He is also the number one contender for United's best player of the season. In fact, De Gea was already the only player in United history to win the Best of the Year award three times, and it is likely to become four times in 3 months.
However, De Gea's heroic performance has forced three Lions goalkeeper Dean Henderson to sit on the bench, and has only made three appearances this season, completely inferior to the competition with the Lotus Duck.
In September 2019, Manchester United officially announced that de Gea had renewed their contract until June 2023, with a one-year extension option. The contract made De Gea the highest-paid goalkeeper in football. "The Athletic" posted two weeks ago that De Gea is likely to get a contract extension from Manchester United, but Manchester United also has to solve the problem of who is the second goal.
Henderson, who will turn 25 next month, will earn more than £100,000 a week, and staying on the bench is a waste, and the players themselves are not willing. Instead of selling cash out this summer, set up buyback terms.