De Gea willing to take pay cut to stay at Man Utd

Stuart Telford

• 22 Jan 2023 09:28 GMT
• 3 min read

David de Gea is reportedly willing to take a 25 per cent wage cut in order to secure his long-term future at Manchester United.

De Gea is now the highest earner at United following Cristiano Ronaldo's controversial departure, on £350,000 (€400,000) per week.

Although reports of a "Ronaldo rule" and a wage cap of £200,000 per week have proved to be false, with Marcus Rashford to be offered in excess of that, it remains the case that the club want to keep their salary spending under control.

READ: Why Man Utd have offered De Gea new deal

United have activated their option to extend De Gea's stay at Old Trafford by another year, and the player is willing to drop down to £200,000 a week in order to secure his long-term future at the club.

"Now Old Trafford sources claim De Gea has told club bosses he is after security, rather than trying to hold them to ransom," report the Sun. "And if that means slashing his wages, then he will do so."

Ten Hag backing

De Gea wants a three-year extension, and he has proved some doubters wrong this season under Erik ten Hag - including the manager himself.

READ: 'De Gea is fantastic but can't play like Ederson or Alisson' - Van der Sar

"Everyone has their own opinion and their own philosophy," he said after a 1-0 win over West Ham earlier this season. "For me, for a goalkeeper, you have to protect the goal and make sure you don't concede goals. In that fact, he is magnificent.

"On the feet, for me, he has the capabilities as well. I think when you see this season, he is progressing from game to game on that part."

It had been widely predicted that Ten hag would phase De Gea out having used a ball-playing goalkeeper in Andre Onana for most of his Ajax successes, but the Spaniard has remained the undisputed No.1 at Old Trafford.