Rio Ferdinand hopes David de Gea gets offered new Manchester United contract

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Rio Ferdinand hopes his former Red Devils teammate David de Gea gets offered a new Manchester United contract.

The 31-year-old’s contract at Old Trafford expires in June, although the twenty-time league champions have the option of triggering a 12-month extension inserted in his current deal.

However, with the Reds having the highest wage bill in Premier League history and the Spaniard being one of the highest earners at the club, United are weighing up whether to extend the former Atletico Madrid man’s stay in Manchester, according to The Telegraph.

There have also been question marks raised as to whether United’s number one has the capabilities of becoming the total football and all-action goalkeeper that Ten Hag wants at the Theatre of Dreams.

Manchester United legend Gary Neville believes the Spaniard’s career under the former Ajax boss could be “short-lived” due to his inability to adapt to the Dutchman’s philosophy.

However, after last night’s 2-1 win against Everton, we wrote that Ten Hag may have been encouraged with De Gea’s performance against the Toffees.

Rio Ferdinand hopes David de Gea gets offered new contract

Speaking on BT Sport after United’s win at Goodison Park, Ferdinand stated that he believes Ten Hag should stick with the Spain international.

Ferdinand said: “I would give him a contract; I think his character speaks a lot because he’s had times where he’s been taken out of the team for Dean Henderson, had his quality questioned – even when he first came to the club there were people saying is he the right [man] because he was so young.

“But he always comes through. We can all say he’s a very good goalkeeper, it’s all down to the way Erik ten Hag wants to play football – if he wants to play out from the back like he did with Ajax, it’s all about someone actually being better with their feet, and that’s the biggest strength of their game and for David de Gea that isn’t his biggest strength.

“He’s good enough I think with his feet, but his biggest strength is his shot stopping – that’s why he’s there.

“But some managers have gone away from wanting that part to be their strongest part, it’s about their feet first – that’s the conundrum we have to work out.

“I don’t think [Ten Hag] should [look elsewhere].”

De Gea has made 498 appearances for Manchester United and with back-to-back home games against Omonia Nicosia to come across the next six days, the man who was signed by Sir Alex Ferguson looks set to hit the 500 mark.