Erik ten Hag prepared to offload veteran from Manchester United squad: Reports

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is reportedly prepared to part ways with club legend David de Gea. According to El Nacional, the Dutchman doesn't see the veteran goalkeeper fitting into his plans for the Red Devils going forward.

De Gea arrived at Old Trafford in 2011 and has since made 507 appearances for the Premier League giants. He has played 20 games so far this season and has been in very good form.

David De Gea has played the most minutes of any player in Premier League history, overtaking Ben Foster:

🥇 David De Gea - 35,039
🥈 Ben Foster - 34,959
🥉 Gary Cahill - 33,374

Landmark. ⏱️ https://t.co/CALyuMfUpf

However, the Spanish custodian's contract is set to expire next summer. Given his status as a club legend, many expected him to be offered a new deal.

Manchester United have triggered the options to extend contracts of these players until June 2024 🚨 #MUFC

▫️ Marcus Rashford
▫️ Diogo Dalot
▫️ Luke Shaw
▫️ Fred

Man Utd will also offer Diogo Dalot and Rashford a longer deal, as expected.

Talks ongoing also with David de Gea. https://t.co/2O4L3cOUcm

However, the aforementioned report states that Ten Hag has gotten in touch with United's hierarchy to inform them that De Gea is not part of his plans. It also states that the Dutch manager has identified Dean Henderson, who is on loan at Nottingham Forest, as the next first-choice goalkeeper.

This continues the mission of the United manager to revamp the side after they endured a miserable 2021-22 season. The ongoing campaign has also been underwhelming and is seen as a transition period for the current manager to stamp his mark on the side.

Ander Herrera praised former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho

Ander Herrera was a key player for Manchester United

Ander Herrera was a mainstay in Manchester United's midfield during his time at the club. He played under three different managers, including Jose Mourinho. He recently gave a glowing review of the Portuguese, saying (via The People's Person):

“He is one of the greatest managers of all time. One of the most successful managers of all time. He discovered a new position for me. He made me a more defensive midfielder. He was also a little bit s**thouse [like me] as a coach, so it was a good time [laughs]. It was a different football from van Gaal, from Bielsa, from Valverde. I liked it. I liked to be part of the team, to help the team."

The Spaniard played 101 games under Mourinho at United, scoring five goals and giving 14 assists. Notably, he won the 2017 UEFA Europa League, EFL Cup and Community Shield under the Portuguese tactician.