Ten Hag told to copy ‘ruthless’ Guardiola over ‘massive headache’ De Gea

Robin Bairner

• 24 Apr 2023 12:52 BST
• 4 min read

Manchester United’s David de Gea situation is a “massive headache” for manager Erik ten Hag, according to former Red Devils goalkeeper Ben Forster.

Foster, who won promotion to the Football League with Wrexham at the weekend, explained that the position that the Old Trafford side find themselves in with De Gea is a tricky one – but that the Spaniard is likely to be keeping goal for them next season.

He admits, though, it is not the ideal scenario for the former Ajax manager.

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“This is got to be a massive headache for Ten Hag,” he told The United Stand. “De Gea’s contract runs out in the summer but he has an option where the club can exercise it at their right to sign him to another year on £350,000 a week. They can either exercise it, in which case he’s got no real resale value, but then if you do sign him to a new two- or three-year deal, does he have much resale value? Is anyone going to come in and try to buy him for £40-50 million? I don’t think so.

“But also Ten Hag has to think: is he really the goalie he wants playing for his team? You want to do it properly, like a Man City or an Arsenal, you have to get a keeper who can play the ball.

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“It sounds brutal, but famously Pep Guardiola has got Joe Hart has his goalkeeper, knowing he’s not going to be that guy who’s going to be playing it out from the back, so he ruthlessly moves him aside and gets someone in who can do that.

“This is the problem we’re facing. I guarantee it’s a massive problem for Ten Hag. Has he got enough about him to say: ‘Sorry David, you’re not the goalie for the style of football I want. You’re a fantastic goalie and I love you to bits but you are not the keeper who’s going to progress this team to where we want to be.’”

Will De Gea be sold in the summer?

Foster feels that it is inevitable there is no change in goal over the summer.

“I don’t think financially, Man Utd can do anything differently. And I don’t think Ten Hag has enough power yet to be able to go: ‘Sorry mate, I need to get a big boy in who can play out to feet,’” he explained.

De Gea has made 535 appearances for Manchester United since arriving in 2011 and has more cleansheets than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League this season.