It is fairly unusual for an elite footballer to take a year out and comeback to top tier, first team football.

David de Gea left Manchester United in June 2023 after his contract expired. Many seen the Spanish goalkeeper as a busted flush as he stayed on the free agency market. Talks would fall through or the goalie would reject the idea of going to another Premier League club due to his loyalties to United (Source Goal.com).

Eye brows were then raised when it was announced that De Gea had agreed to join ACF Fiorentina on a one year deal (Via TNT Sports). Those eye brows certainly didn’t come down when the thirty-three year old conceded three in his debut to Puskas FC Academy at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. David would soon redeem himself in his next appearance against the Hungarians when he saved two point blank efforts before bagging his side a place in the next round of the UEFA Conference League with a shootout save.

De Gea would also conceded three in his Serie A debut against Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta side in a 3-2 defeat but that was the Viola’s last league loss with the Spaniard in between the sticks as they have since went seven league fixtures without tasting defeat.

In his eight Serie A outings, David has managed to keep four cleansheets and Fiorentina currently boast the joint third best defensive record in Italy’s top flight. On average he’s making over three saves per game and not just routine ones either.

De Gea has always been a fine shot-stopper but his gap year may have caused rustiness to creep in but that hasn’t been the case. He produced two great stops from penalties in his side’s victory over AC Milan, the first saw him dive low to his left before pushing the ball away from his goal and then the second one had De Gea go down to the opposite corned and firmly palm away a Tammy Abraham spot kick. Then on the 85th minute the goalie produced another magnificent stop to help his side beat Milan in Florence.

Last week the 45 capped Spanish star produced yet another last gasp match winning save to prevent Genoa from stealing a draw at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. Genoa had a freekick in the 91st minute, the cross into the box was a perfect one. Mexican defender Johan Vasquez expertly guided the ball towards Fiorentina’s top corner with his resuting header. It seemed destined to go in until David de Gea managed to get his finger tips to the ball and steer it away from his goal-line.

Fiorentina under new boss Raffaele Palladino are now sitting in fourth paced in the league standings. The Viola have picked up quite a few new faces during the summer transfer market and a lot of those seem to have a point to prove, none more so than De Gea, and they look like a very hungry team and one that enjoys the winning feeling.

Former Fiorentina keeper Alex Manninger also agrees that De Gea has kept his hunger after his year off (Via Football Italia):

“He’s an experienced keeper. He took a sabbatical, and it worked well,” 

“He still has the hunger, which is essential to a goalkeeper. You must have a great keeper to be up there in the table.”

In a few days Fiorentina’s goalkeeper will turn thirty-four years of age but that is still a prime period for a goalie. It’s funny but that year out might have rejuvenated De Gea and given him a new appreciation and hunger for the game.

The renaissance of the Spanish shot-stopper might just give Firenze a new hero called David!

 

Posted on November 5th, 2024 by scott
Filed under: Article