“United did not kick me out, I decided to stop training De Gea”

On September 16, 2019, Manchester United made the renewal of David de Gea official until 2023. The Spanish goalkeeper went on to become the highest-paid goalkeeper in the world with a salary of more than 12 million euros net. However, this renovation had collateral effects and left important consequences in the Madrid environment. On the one hand, Jorge Mendes stopped being his representative and Emilio Álvarez resigned from his position as Manchester United goalkeeping coach.

After almost three years of negotiations between the Manchester United and Jorge Mendes, an agreement was finally reached for De Gea to continue at Old Trafford. PSG's meddling made the operation more expensive for the Red Devils. And when the deal already seemed like a fact, a third element came into the picture, a De Gea lawyer. The latter took the lead in asking for more money from United for the change from pounds to euros. This movement made Jorge Mendes, who had already committed himself to the Manchester leaders in closing the renovation at 12 million annually, feel discredited. He decided to get out of the negotiation and end his professional relationship with De Gea. United ended up paying the increase requested by the new interlocutor of the Madrid goalkeeper. After Jorge Mendes' determination to stop representing De Gea, Emilio Álvarez, discoverer of the Madrid goalkeeper and his coach the last three years at United, also decided to disassociate himself from him and did not accept the offer to renew the English club.

Some source maintains that It was Manchester United who put De Gea as a premise that to renew him he broke with Mendes and accepted that the club did without Emilio Álvarez. However, months later, Jorge Mendes was the key person for Manchester United will get the signing of Bruno Fernandes. And his own Emilio Álvarez explains to Ace which is the reason why he left his position as goalkeeper coach of the English club.

Why does Emilio Álvarez stop being coach of Manchester United goalkeepers? Is it true that you were fired by Manchester United?

It is not true that Manchester United dispensed with my services. In fact, once De Gea renewed, United put a renewal contract on the table for me. I was the one who asked to meet with the club to tell them that I wanted to leave, and at that meeting they propose to renew me. So I told them that I was leaving, but that I was not leaving United but I was not training De Gea. In addition to having been his mentor at Atlético de Madrid, where I bet heavily on him, the person who convinced him to sign for United and his goalkeeping coach, I was his trusted person in Manchester. I came to United thanks to the great work of Jorge Mendes and because Mourinho wanted to sign me for the development and permanence of David (De Gea) in the club, because at that moment he wanted to leave United.

With your great friendship with De Gea, why did you decide to stop working with him?

After almost three years of hard work and meetings for United to agree to renew him and make him the highest-paid player on the team, I learned in my office that he had renewed behind my back. Honestly, it seemed like a lack of loyalty to our friendship. In addition, during the negotiation of his renovation he had a disagreement with the person who had carried out all the negotiation so that he could collect what he charges, and at the last minute he accepted that another person meddled. I insist, I did not like that because it seemed unfair. I asked David why he hadn't said anything to me and he replied that because they had told him not to tell anyone. That shocked me. The way I understand my profession cannot be developed if there is not a great trust between the coach and the goalkeeper, so I decided to leave United for that reason.

How important were you in the renewal of De Gea?

Well, the great merit goes to Jorge Mendes, who did a great job during those years, working day and night. I contributed my grain of sand. Solskjaer asked me every day to speak with Mendes so that David could renew, because the press asked him every day about that subject and he was under a lot of pressure and to speak with De Gea so that he would stay and not listen to other offers. Solskjaer was very concerned that David was okay.

Why didn't he leave United when Mourinho was fired?

I told José that I was going with him, but he told me to stay, because I didn't know when he would train again and that the best thing for me was for me to stay at United. In addition, David and all his surroundings asked me to stay to continue my work with him. So I decided to be faithful to my friendship and commitment to him and I stayed.

Is it true that you had options to go to PSG and Madrid and rejected them for continuing to work with De Gea at United?

It is true. PSG and Madrid called me, but I stayed at United for not leaving De Gea. For me, that is loyalty.

Do you regret having rejected those proposals?

No, I felt it was the right thing to do at the time. Between doing the right thing and the right thing for me, I chose the right thing and being loyal. And today, I feel with a clear conscience. I could have more money, but being happy with myself value it much more. Still today, the United fans love me on social networks often and some write to me saying that De Gea is not the same without me and asking me to return to the club. But I am a soccer man and therefore I do not hold any resentment. I keep how good we have lived, including the four titles we won together.

You have been a goalkeeping coach at Real Madrid, Valencia, Benfica, Atlético de Madrid, Manchester United … Now what?

Well now I'm waiting for some interesting project and looking forward to training goalkeepers again, which is what I've been doing all my life.

And finally. You were a youth squad for Madrid, a goalkeeping coach for Madrid … Do you think Pogba would be a good signing for Madrid?

I don't know that, but what I do know is that he is a talented player to play for any club in the world. Physically it is a physical wonder as well. Where he has more problems is in the management of self-demand as a star signing. At Manchester United he was weighed down by the responsibility and pressure of being a multi-million dollar signing. He was anxious to demonstrate his category and the pressure could. I stayed with him after training to do complementary work. I can tell you that he has brutal coordination, talent and is physically gifted. Your success depends on your head. You need to set yourself challenges and be more self-critical. It could be a great signing for Madrid.