Erik ten Hag has called David de Gea a ‘complete goalkeeper’ as the Spaniard closes in on a new contract at Manchester United.
De Gea’s current deal is set to expire at the end of the season, but there is a desire from both parties to agree an extension.
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De Gea has impressed for Ten Hag’s side this season despite reservations over his distribution and the United manager is keen to keep the goalkeeper a part of his plans moving forward.
The 32-year-old has spent more than a decade with the Red Devils and is now ninth on the club’s list of all-time appearance makers, having featured 534 times for the club since his arrival from Atletico Madrid in 2011.
Ten Hag was asked for his view on De Gea’s best attributes as the Red Devils look to agree a new deal with the Spanish shot-stopper and believes the Manchester United number one is ‘a really compete goalkeeper’.
“Stopping goals, avoiding goals as that is the main job for a goalkeeper,” he said at his pre-match press conference ahead of United’s Europa League clash with Sevilla on Thursday.
“You can do it in many more ways, everyone has their own particular style and nowadays in possession, it becomes more and more important, especially at the top level because there you take control and it is more difficult for the opponent to gain pressure, you also concede less chances. But at the end of the day it’s about stopping goals, stopping shots, stopping crosses, one-on-ones etc so that is more like the classic goalkeeper.
“I think David is really multi-functional and a really compete goalkeeper. We are very happy with him.”
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