Erik ten Hag behind Manchester United superstar’s dramatic contract U-turn - Reports
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is reportedly responsible for the U-turn over David de Gea's contract.
The Daily Mail reports that Ten Hag has doubts about continuing with De Gea as his first-choice goalkeeper. The Spaniard had signed a new contract, with his current one set to expire on June 30.
However, Manchester United backed out of that agreement and instead offered a new deal on even further reduced wages. The Spanish shot-stopper was already willing to take a significant hit on his current £375,000 per week wages.
De Gea, 32, is the longest-serving player at Old Trafford, joining the Red Devils from Atletico Madrid in 2011. He has made 545 appearances for the Premier League giants across competti, keeping 190 clean sheets.
However, last season was a tumultuous one for the Spanish shot-stopper, as he lacked form despite winning the Premier League's Golden Glove, keeping 17 clean sheets in 38 league games.
There were some costly mistakes from the veteran goalkeeper during the campaign. He was arguably at fault in the 2-2 draw with Sevilla in the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals and the 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Moreover, De Gea isn't the most comfortable with the ball at his feet, which is a trait Ten Hag wants his shot-stoppers to possess. That has seen Manchester United being linked with former Ajax keeper Andre Onana, who's now at Inter Milan.
De Gea is now weighing up his options and has interest from the Saudi Pro League. The Middle Eastern league are offering lucrative contracts to European star names, most recently signing Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante.
The Spaniard will likely feel disrespected, though, as Ten Hag spoke throughout the season hinting that he was keen for the goalkeeper to stay. It appears that the Dutchman has now gone back on his word amid doubts over De Gea's ability with the ball.
Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez returns to training
Manchester United have been boosted by the news that Lisandro Martinez is back in training. The Argentine defender had been sidelined with a metatarsal fracture since early April.
Martinez has been a fan-favourite since joining the Red Devils from Ajax last summer for £56.7 million. He made 45 appearances across competitions in the recently concluded season, helping his side keep 20 clean sheets. The Argentine played a key role in De Gea's Golden Glove win.
The 25-year-old posted videos of himself back running on the pitch on his Instagram story. He also announced his return from injury with a tweet:
"So happy to be back 100%"
Martinez now looks set to be part of the Manchester United squad that head to the United States for pre-season in July. He missed crucial games for the Red Devils, including the FA Cup final defeat to City, which proved costly.