Screen Shot 2015-05-17 at 14.10.14If reports are to be believed, it looks almost certain that David de Gea will be leaving Manchester United for Real Madrid this summer. While the more optimistic United fan might have been hoping that De Gea was waiting for top four to be confirmed before extending his deal, it now appears as though he hasn’t signed because he has no intention of staying.

The knee-jerk reaction from a lot of supporters is to go “fuck him”. We paid a lot of money for him when he was just a kid, still trying to prove himself, and now it looks as though he will spend his peak years elsewhere. That’s frustrating for the supporters and you can understand why he would face some backlash for that.

But equally, it’s hard to begrudge someone wanting to return to their home city to play for the biggest club in the world and, by default, ensure the number one jersey for the national team too. It’s hard to draw a comparison, given how few English players go abroad, particularly at a young age. But imagine a Mancunian playing for the fourth best side in Spain and getting the chance to come and play for United, replacing an ageing goalkeeper who was currently England’s number one. The move would seem like common sense, rather than an act of disloyalty.

De Gea is apparently nervous about the reception he will receive today, in light of the reports confirming a move to Real Madrid. In our last game, the Stretford End, in full desperation mode, chanted “David de Gea, we want you to sign” to the painfully overused Sloop John B tune. There was more hope of his long-term future being at Old Trafford than there is now and there is the potential for the crowd to turn on him. But I think that is, and should be, unlikely.

With just two games left to play, our position in the top four was sealed, thanks to Crystal Palace spoiling Steven Gerrard’s party yesterday. When you look back over a season, even to last weekend when we too faced Palace, it’s difficult to imagine we would be in this position without De Gea. In a season where everything has been unreliable, from our defence to the manager’s substitutions, from our goalscorers to the formation, De Gea has been the one constant force. He has won us so many points, saved us from defeat time and again, and that shouldn’t forgotten. Finishing in the top four was absolutely vital this season and we have De Gea to thank for ensuring it happened.

I genuinely believe he’s making the wrong decision to join Real Madrid at this stage in his career, and when he is ignored by the Bernabeu crowd, unless when they chase him out of the stadium after a blunder like they do Gareth Bale, he’ll probably feel the same way. Even if he stayed at United for another two years, he’d still have close to a decade to win trophies with Real Madrid, and he’d have two less years without their unbearable scrutiny. But whether it’s the appeal of Madrid, his girlfriend, his family, the money, the trophies, the glory, or the Spanish national team, he is entitled to make the decision he seemingly has.

Today could well be the last chance the Old Trafford crowd gets to see him between our posts, wearing our jersey, and he should get the send off he deserves. He’s been a fantastic player for us and it’s been a privilege to watch him develop in to one of the best, if not the best, goalkeepers in the world.