Despite having come under a bit of criticism in recent years, Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea began this season of the Premier League in goal for the Red Devils.
With almost the entire campaign still left to be played, and United looking like favourites to win silverware for the first time since 2017, here's a quick run-through of an interview the Spaniard had on the Star Sports network.
It's a new season which starts with a personal celebration. Congratulations on 10 years with Manchester United. What does it mean to you?
Thank you very much. Yes. It's been so many years with such a big club. So it's a source of much pride for me. And I look back over many great moments, some not so good, but I’m just really happy to be here. But I’m someone who thinks about the present. And despite the fact that that's so many years now, it's a big club. I’m looking forward to what this club can do and the great trophies we can win. So it's a great source of pride for me to be here. And above all, when you think that it's not easy to remain at such a big club, such a long time.
When you look back to 2011, did you ever imagine that you would be there for 10 years and make more than 400 appearances in a Manchester United jersey?
The truth is, I came here when I was very young, and, of course, it's very hard to have imagined back then that I could have remained so long and such a big club where the level is so demanding. And to spend all that time in goal for a team like Manchester United is the source of much pride. And like I say, I’m happy to look back on the time. It's also a great source of satisfaction to still be here and to look forward to hopefully another 10 years into some great trophies to come.
155 clean sheets for Manchester United is incredible. And the first one I think in the Premier League was against Tottenham at Old Trafford. You won 3-0 - I know it was a long time ago, but what are your memories of that day?
The truth is that I can remember it, I think back to that match, the first match I had, Old Trafford, was a big moment for me. We played Tottenham. I remember we won 3-0. The team played well, I played well. And of course, I was very young back then. I still had lots to experience and lots to learn. But it's a really nice thing to do to look back on the past. But like I say, more important for me right now is to live in the present and look to the future. And I’m really full of desire for the season ahead. I feel strong and really excited by the prospect of what lies before us.
What is your most memorable premier league performance for Manchester United in the ten years so far?
To be honest, it's really difficult to just pick one match out of so many matches over the years and so many performances I’ve been happy with coming to my mind. Now, I remember a match away at arsenal and a match away at spurs, a match at home to Everton when we won 2-1. But there's really been so many with great memories for me. Those are the ones that come to my head where my own personal performance, I put in the most complete performance. But there are many others too.
I know you want to talk about the future! It's crazy that you are still only 30 years old and you've achieved so much with Manchester United. You've won many trophies. What do you still want to achieve with Manchester United? What do you have to give?
Just as you said, I’ve been playing for many years, but I’m still relatively young and especially for a goalkeeper, but I’ve got a lot of experience under my belt. I’ve been playing for many years. And like any footballer, my main drive and ambition comes from winning trophies and achieving great things on the pitch. I’m also now at a stage where I can help the younger players as they progressed. But nothing's changed really. My mentality, I give 100 percent and I’ve got the same ambitions as always, which is to win trophies for this club.
As you get ready for this new season — you have been in a Premier League title-winning side with Manchester United — how does this team now with Jadon Sancho in it as well? Compared to the title-winning side that you were in before — were they similar?
Actually, when I look at the two teams, I wouldn't say that they're alike at all. I think if you look at us now, we're young, we have young players out there, but also veterans of the club players with more experience. And at the end of the day, football has changed over the years. And so now as you look around in the team, you see all of those elements within our group. Above all, right now we've got a team that can win things. We've got the players to do it. And like I said, this year is very important for us. So we just need to make sure we give 100 percent and go after every title, every competition that we're involved in to make sure that United are right up near the top of the league, because this is what Manchester United as a club deserves.
Last season, you're so close in the Europa League, in the premier league this season. Can you close that gap and be winners?
It is true that we came close in the Europa League, but we also have to admit that we were far away from winning the Premier League and there was something missing last year for us. So now we've brought in new players. We've also got the experience of what we went through last year. And so this year, we have to make sure that we're fighting for absolutely everything. Premier League and all the other competitions we're involved in. We have to take everything match by match, make sure we're 100 percent ready, give everything and every match and to make sure that we're fighting for silverware at the end of the year.
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