How many times over the years have Manchester United opted to bring in a big name superstar rather than a younger, more long-term addition who would have been better suited for the role required?
There’s almost too many to mention.
See, for example, the seemingly-never ending supply of 30-something, stop-gap centre-forwards when one up-and-coming youngster – Erling Haaland was wanted by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, remember? – would have sufficed?
Fortunately, following Ineos seizing control of footballing operations, the days of Wout Weghorst and Odion Ighalo appear to be a thing of the past.
Over in Italy, meanwhile, it is Fiorentina who are now facing some rather awkward questions about their own transfer policy. Have the Serie A outfit fallen into the same trap that lured the Glazers again and again, bewitched by a footballing A-lister that they never really needed?
Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea brought an end to his 15 month spell out of the game this week.
The now-33-year-old Spaniard has not played a competitive game since letting Ilkay Gundogan beat him twice in the 2023 FA Cup final. A performance which all-but made up Man United’s mind as they released De Gea and brought in Andre Onana to take his place.
David de Gea has a new club after Manchester United exit
While some sections of the United support still question if that was the right decision, others – ex-Red Devil Anders Lindegaard amongst them – feels that the shift towards a more modern, ball-playing goalkeeper will suit the Premier League giants well in the future.
The sight of De Gea struggling with his distribution was, as former coach Benni McCarthy explains, a big reason why United reunited Erik ten Hag with his former Ajax number one.
And Simone Braglia – a goalkeeper himself in his playing days – cannot shake the feeling that Fiorentina let their heart rule their head once De Gea made it clear he was willing to buy into their project.
La Viola, he says, already had a trusty, experienced shot-stopper in Pietro Terracciano.
Furthermore, could De Gea be a square peg in a round whole as far as head coach Raffaele Palladino’s ball-playing tactics are concerned?
Legendary goalkeeper starts afresh with Fiorentina
“Why do we want to change (Terracciano for De Gea) now? He deserved to be in Florence with his performances,” Braglia, once of AC Milan and Raphael Varane’s new employers Como, tells Tuttomercatoweb.
“The goalkeeper is a delicate role. (Terracciano) has always responded well, providing important performances perhaps even above his value.
“Palladino also wants the goalkeeper to play with his feet.”
There are even doubts about De Gea’s shot-stopping ability these days.
Formerly his bread and butter, De Gea made numerous fumbles in his final season at Old Trafford, spilling daisycutter shots into the net against Brentford and West Ham.
Massimo Taibi was thrown out of Man United for less.
The question also remains, how sharp will De Gea really be after over a year training on his own?
- READ MORE: Manchester United confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
