Why David de Gea hasn’t signed for a new club – and what he’s been doing instead

Seven months ago, David de Gea was awarded the Premier League's Golden Glove award for keeping more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper throughout the 2022-23 season. But instead of being in the midst of a gruelling festive period, travelling up and down the country, one of the league's best goalkeepers in recent years remains without a club after leaving Manchester United via the back door and amid a contract dispute at the end of June.

His time is now spent playing padel, staying fit, going out for dinners with his friends, running his esports team, and appearing at Manchester United Women's matches. He earned a notable fortune at United, where he was on £375,000 a week from 2019 to 2023, so can't be blamed for taking time to assess his options, especially after marrying his fiancée, Edurne, in the summer.

Throughout the transfer window, De Gea received multiple offers and enquiries, ranging from teams at the top of leagues across Europe as well as those in the bottom half of the table. Nothing, however, could be agreed, and he is reluctant to drop down the league. There was talk of him joining Inter in Serie A, but there was little appeal in replacing Andre Onana, his successor at United.

Part of De Gea's seemingly relaxed approach to his future is that he has been enjoying being away from professional football. He made his Atletico Madrid debut in 2009 and spent 12 years under the microscope and intense pressure at United. On that front, this is the first time he has taken a step back and allowed himself a break.

De Gea after being given the Premier League Golden Glove award in May (Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

His final game for United, the FA Cup final defeat against Manchester City, included a mistake on his part and