Former Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gere opens up with a failed move from Real Madrid
David de Guia says he won’t reveal the complete story behind his failed transfer to Real Madrid until he retires, but he believes the outcome was ultimately the best.
The Spaniard had been on the brink of travel from Manchester United to Madrid on the summer deadline of 2015, but the deal was notoriously collapsed due to delayed documents.
The veteran goalkeeper, who is currently playing for Fiorentina, looked back at the Saga in an interview with Italian outlet Cronash Dispriatio.
“When my career is over, I’ll talk about it all. When things don’t happen, there’s a reason,” he said. “It was close, but the transfer wasn’t complete… Personally, it worked because Manchester is my home.”
De Gea joined United from Atlético Madrid in 2011, becoming one of the club’s most consistent performers, winning the Premier League in 2012-13 under Alex Ferguson.
During his 12 years of stay, he lifted several other major trophies, including the FA Cup (2016), the Europa League (2017), and the Carabao Cup (2017 and 2023).
David de Gea: “My failed move to Real Madrid? At the end of my career, I will talk about what happened.
In the end, it didn’t happen, and I think a few things will happen. I stayed in Manchester and was happy. ” @cronachetweet pic.twitter.com/m5dxmabgac
– Madrid Xtra (@madridxtra) July 21, 2025
He made 545 appearances with the Red Devils before leaving the club in 2023 when his contract expired.
After a year away from football, DeGia signed Fiorentina in 2024 as a free agent. He described the break as both mentally and physically transformative.
“It was the best year of my life,” he said. “That sabbatical year has given me a good world, both mentally and physically. I was a bit tired of it. I felt it was time to stop and come back strong.
Despite receiving an offer to stay in the Premier League, De Gea explained that joining another English club is never an option.
“It’s true that I had offers from other English clubs, but in my mind, it was impossible to play for another club. I wanted to play only for United. It was a club I developed, and I was a large part of my career, and I had a very good career there. I had offers from other countries too.”
At 34, DeGia appears to have found the second wind in Italy. He held 11 clean sheets in his 42 appearances last season and recently committed his future to Fiorentina by signing a new contract to keep him at the club until June 2028.