David de Gea close to comeback seven months after Man Utd exit and considering retirement

Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is poised to make his long-awaited comeback to football.

De Gea left United in June after spending 12 years as the club’s number one keeper and making 545 appearances in all competitions. Despite links to Real Madrid and others, he initially struggled to find a new team, partly due to his high wage demands, having been paid a whopping £375,000-a-week at United.

The 33-year-old was of interest to Newcastle following the injury to Nick Pope, but that avenue went cold and, like other high-profile, highly-paid players, he has looked to Saudi Arabia for a way back in. The Daily Mail reports that he is in negotiations with Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab, who are willing to offer him a contract.

He will reportedly be a part of a major recruitment drive by Al-Shabab, who are also trying to land experienced Sevilla midfielder Ivan Rakitic, Newcastle winger Miguel Almiron and Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech, who is currently on loan at Galatasaray. Their only current star player is Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco after Argentina playmaker Ever Banega left to re-join Newell’s Old Boys.

Al-Shabab are currently 11th in the Saudi top flight and won just one of their last seven league games before the winter break. The club are without a manager at present having dismissed ex-Liverpool star Igor Biscan last month. Sporting director Domenico Tite has aimed high while looking for his replacement, reportedly holding talks with Jose Mourinho following his sacking by Roma.

Earlier this season De Gea was linked with a shock return to United due to the early struggles by his replacement Andre Onana. And this isn’t the first time that the option of the Saudi Pro League has emerged, with Cristiano Ronaldo ’s Al-Nassr and Steven Gerrard’s side Al-Ettifaq rumoured to be interested in his services.

The move for De Gea comes just weeks after he was reportedly considering retirement, having struggled to find a new club. He has been training by himself to stay fit, but had grown weary of the lack of opportunities emerging for him after getting married to his partner Edurne Garcia Almagro in Menorca in July.

Erik ten Hag’s decision to let him leave as a free agent upon the expiry of his contract hurt the Spaniard, who had to watch Onana take his place. The links with Newcastle had appeared to be the most likely comeback route for De Gea, but his former United team-mate Martin Dubravka has ended up taking Pope’s place in Eddie Howe’s side after the Magpies’ No1 suffered a dislocated shoulder.