David De Gea is set to turn down a new £350,000-a-week deal with Manchester United and leave Old Trafford on a free transfer next summer, according to the Sun.
The newspaper claims that De Gea, 28, has told his friends that he has no interest in signing a new big-money contract in Manchester so that he can start talking to clubs in January about a move.
It is understood that there was an agreement in principle for the Spain goalkeeper to sign fresh terms in the summer, but he is yet to put pen to paper.
TIF Tactics
De Gea was widely dubbed as the best goalkeeper in the world earlier in his Manchester United career but public opinion of the former Atletico Madrid player has dropped quite a lot in the past couple of seasons.
Since signing for the Red Devils in 2011, De Gea had kept at least 11 clean sheets in the Premier League each season, but last term saw the Spaniard only shut-out opposition attackers on seven occasions.
Last season also saw him concede 54 goals in the Premier League when his previous worst was 43.
According to stats by WhoScored, De Gea averaged 3.2 saves per match in the league last season while it was 3.1 the season before that and 2.1 the season before that.
When you look at those numbers it would seem as though the reason why De Gea is conceding more is down to the defence in front of him, rather than himself.
De Gea has made errors but what goalkeepers don’t? He is still one of the best in the world but in this Man United side, he isn’t playing like he is the best in the world.
Where will he go?
It feels like De Gea has been linked with a move to Real Madrid almost as soon as he touched down in Manchester back in 2011, so the Bernabeu is a possible destination if something happens with their number one Thibaut Courtois.
The Sun’s report says that Paris Saint-Germain had been keen on the Spain international before they signed Keylor Navas from Real Madrid but if De Gea is available on a free then surely the Ligue 1 giants would push to sign him and let Navas drop down their pecking order.
Other top teams around Europe could also attract De Gea like Juventus and Bayern Munich.
He could end up at any of those sides.