The Spaniard may have left United on bad terms but he still has the ability to make logic-defying saves and will be in demand.
For the first time in 12 years, David de Gea is on the lookout for a new club. The Spaniard joined Manchester United as an inexperienced and shy 20-year-old and leaves as the club's longest serving goalkeeper with 545 matches and a record 190 clean sheets.
He was so often United's saviour in a turbulent era following Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement and was named their player of the year on four occasions, a record he shares with Cristiano Ronaldo. But in his final season there was a sense that he was holding the club back due to his limitations with the ball at his feet, preventing the team from playing as Erik ten Hag envisaged.
He also made a series of high-profile errors, both with his feet and his hands, at crucial moments in the season, including in the FA Cup final. That ultimately led to the club withdrawing their offer of a new contract for him which had been previously agreed, bringing his long and glorious career with United to a sour end.
But as one long chapter comes to a close, a new one begins. De Gea is only 32 and has remained relatively injury free throughout his career, meaning he still has at least four more years, if not more, to give at the highest level.
Although his ball-playing abilities have come under ever greater scrutiny, he remains an outstanding shot-stopper, capable of making seemingly impossible saves. And that's a quality that many clubs continue to value above all when they are looking for a goalkeeper.
Fenerbahce
The Turkish Super Lig has long been an attractive destination for Europe's top players when they are into their 30s. Just look at Mauro Icardi, Juan Mata and Dries Mertens, who fired Galatasaray to the title last season.
They have a reliable and long-serving goalkeeper in Fernando Muslera but their fierce rivals Fenerbahce are reportedly on the lookout for an upgrade on Altay Bayindir and have expressed an interest in signing De Gea. Fener last won the title in 2014 and are looking to take the next step after finishing second in the last two seasons.
De Gea would be guaranteed a rapturous reception from Fenerbahce's intensely passionate supporters and the club have been able to attract their fair share of big names in recent years. The likes of Enner Valencia and Michy Batshuayi have turned out for them, and having just landed Edin Dzeko, they've proven they can still offer competitive salaries. The club also should have extra cash to spend on player wages after selling Arda Guler to Real Madrid in a deal worth up to €30 million (£26m/$33m).
Al-Nassr
If De Gea wants to come close to earning anything like the £375,000 per week he received at United, then Saudi Arabia is his most obvious destination.
Al-Nassr have made the most eye-catching signings since the gulf nation decided to seriously invest in football at the start of the year, landing Cristiano Ronaldo in January and Marcelo Brozovic from Inter in July.
The club are reportedly ready to tempt De Gea with £250,000 per week and that would likely be the goalkeeper's most lucrative offer. It all depends on whether he still wants to compete at the top level in Europe or values having a top salary above playing competitive football.
Major League Soccer
If De Gea is ready to move outside Europe, but not the radical lifestyle change in Saudi Arabia, then Major League Soccer is a logical move. Inter Miami have made a splash by signing Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets and De Gea would certainly fit into the experienced, star-studded squad Gerardo Martino is building.
Miami aside, the former United 'keeper would be attractive to any MLS club looking to raise their profile off the pitch and raise standards on it.
Inter
Inter are likely to be needing a new goalkeeper if they end up selling Andre Onana to Manchester United. De Gea is a very different type of 'keeper to the Cameroonian, who United want to sign precisely because of his ability on the ball.
But the Spaniard is available on a free transfer and as Inter look to sign Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea - and need to find replacements for Brozovic and Dzeko - not having to pay a large fee to get a new goalkeeper could appeal to the Nerazzurri.
Paris Saint-Germain
PSG are another club who could meet De Gea's wage demands and would be a good option for him if he is keen to remain in Europe and play in the Champions League.
It would be difficult for the Spaniard to immediately challenge Gianluigi Donnarumma as No.1 after the Italian saw off Keylor Navas. However, the Paris giants have always liked to have healthy competition among their goalkeepers and, should Navas leave, with it also unclear if Sergio Rico will be able to continue his career, PSG may need a new back-up.
Bayern Munich
Bayern are one of the few clubs in Europe's top-five leagues that would be able to satisfy De Gea's wage demands and their goalkeeping picture is far from clear at the moment. Manuel Neuer had returned to training after breaking his leg while skiing in January but he has reportedly faced a setback in his recovery.
Yann Sommer has been a reliable deputy in Neuer's absence but wants to get more regular football. If the Swiss international leaves then that would open up a spot for De Gea, who would be a top-class back-up for Neuer and could even challenge the Germany 'keeper, who turned 37 in March.
Atletico Madrid
A return to boyhood club Atletico would be the most romantic destination for De Gea. He had only two seasons in the first team before joining United in 2011 and the club is in a vastly different state to the one he left, having been transformed into one of Europe's top sides under Diego Simeone, who took over after the goalkeeper had left for Manchester.
Unlike many other coaches in Europe, Simeone does not demand that his goalkeepers are adept with their feet and De Gea could adapt to Atletico's style of play better than the other top sides in La Liga.
But the biggest obstacle to him moving to the Metropolitano is Jan Oblak, who is the club's undisputed No.1 and who only last year signed a new contract until 2028.
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