I just wanted to take it easy for a while: David de Gea

The Spanish goalkeeper was without a club for a year before joining Fiorentina.

Despite being without a club, David de Gea has called his year off after leaving Manchester United the “best period” of his professional career.

After leaving Manchester United in 2023, De Gea spent a full year as a free agent. He talked about the experience, calling the time off from football “the best period” of his life. The former Spain player also talked about his plans for the future at Fiorentina, where he has had an incredible season.

The 2022–2023 season, which also marked the hiring of coach Erik ten Hag, was De Gea’s last season with the Red Devils.

Despite playing 58 games in all competitions in the same campaign, including all 38 Premier League games, there were rumours that De Gea lacked Ten Hag’s faith. He even contemplated quitting the sport entirely at one point because of Ten Hag’s treatment.

With 545 games played, De Gea left Old Trafford in July 2023 as the seventh-highest appearance-maker in the history of the team. After the player and the club couldn’t agree on a deal to sign, De Gea left as a free agent.

Although he wanted to find a team in Spain and reside there, Saudi Pro League clubs approached him. He stayed away from the sport for a year when no Spanish club approached him for his services. He became one of the greatest goalkeepers in the Italian league after joining Fiorentina, a Serie A team, last summer.

The 34-year-old talked about the hiatus and that he liked spending more time with his loved ones in an interview with La Repubblica (via Football Italia):

“I just wanted to take it easy for a while after playing at the highest levels for many years. Perhaps, it was the best period of my life.

“I could finally enjoy time with my family and friends whom I had seen little in the past 15 years. I travelled between Madrid and Manchester, continuing to train my mind and body.”

De Gea has been Fiorentina’s underrated goalkeeper this season and has made 29 appearances for the squad across all competitions. With 48 points, the Viola are now in seventh place in the Serie A standings and will be looking to make it to Europe the following season. When his team hosts Atalanta on Sunday, De Gea will be back in action.

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