Was letting David de Gea leave a mistake by Erik ten Hag?

The decision to allow David de Gea to leave Manchester United after 12 seasons at the club divided opinion.

It couldn’t have been an easy decision to take. David de Gea has served United well over the past decade. But with a new manager wanting to build his team, de Gea is the latest high-profile casualty of the Dutchman.

Back in the Champions League

The importance of getting de Gea’s replacement right is paramount as the club is back in the Champions League for the 2023/24 season. United can’t afford a honeymoon period for a new keeper when they will be fighting on four fronts.

In this sports betting odds, Manchester United are +1600 to lift the Champions League trophy for the fourth time in their history, and they are +1000 to win the Premier League. When you compare those odds to their cross-town rivals Manchester City, it shows that United are unlikely to feature heavily in the sports tips to lift either of those trophies this season.

Fans divided

The majority of Manchester United fans were appreciative of what de Gea did for the club but understood the decision to let one of their all-time great keepers leave after too many high-profile mistakes in recent years.

Others think letting him go was a mistake and a gamble that United didn’t need to take. With de Gea, they knew what they were getting. Now, it’s a case of finding a new keeper and hoping he fits in at the club. And if he comes from outside the Premier League, hoping he can quickly adapt to the style of play required to survive in the Premier League.

Whatever the fans’ opinions on the Spanish keeper’s departure, one thing that the overall majority will agree on is that de Gea has been an excellent servant to the club and should be applauded for all he has done.

A gamble worth taking for ten Hag?

Liverpool and Manchester City have both taken the plunge in recent years, dumping their regular keepers, and replacing them with players from outside the Premier League.

Both have been rewarded, as their gambles to buy Alisson Becker and Ederson both handsomely paid off.

Alisson went on to play a major role in Liverpool’s Champions League and Premier League wins. While Ederson has been a constant performer in goal for Manchester City and also plays his role in setting off City’s counterattacks with his quick and excellent ball distribution with his feet.

Erik ten Hag and United have no doubt done their homework, seeing the difference that signing a top-quality keeper can make, and feel it’s worth the risk.

They may well have known what they were getting with de Gea. And it might be that ten Hag wasn’t just looking at the mistakes, but also his ball distribution with the feeling it wasn’t good enough for the style of play he’s looking to use.

What if the decision backfires?

But it is a gamble to get rid of the Spanish shot-stopper. And if all goes wrong, pundits and fans will be queuing up to point the finger of blame at the Dutchman.

The headlines will already be written. And Erik ten Hag won’t be allowed to forget he was the man who got rid of de Gea.