Filed under: Manchester United, Football, Transfer News
As he got up to leave a press conference that had wound down with questions about Edwin van der Sar's replacement, Sir Alex Ferguson paused and joked: "You'll never guess who it will be."In truth, De Gea, 20, had been on the long list that had been bandied about for months as United considered what they would do once Van der Sar called it a day and now he has finally completed his move to England in a deal worth a reported £18.3 million.
There was also Manuel Neuer, Maarten Stekelenberg, Igor Akinfeev and Hugo Lloris, as well as Gianluigi Buffon and even Pepe Reina.
Playing in goal for United is a peculiar life, demanding total concentration, organisation, excellent distribution and character.
FanHouse UK: Who Is David de Gea? (Video)
So, given all of the problems he has experienced with goalkeepers in the past, it has to be seen as a surprise that Ferguson has decided to plump for the inexperienced Spaniard, who has never played international football and has made just one appearance in the Champions League.
We all know about the problems Ferguson endured in the six years he took to replace Peter Schmeichel with Van der Sar, with the likes of Mark Bosnich, Massimo Taibi, Fabien Barthez, Roy Carroll and Tim Howard all trying and failing.
But De Gea, who will join up with United on July 11, will do well to bring the certainty that Ferguson's back four took for granted with Van der Sar.
The signing clearly hits the profile of players that United have looked to sign over recent years but goalkeepers are different and a fee of £18.3 million leaves no doubt that De Gea is coming to be number one from the start.
This is no £6 million on a 17-year-old. With Tomasz Kuszczak still expected to move on and Anders Lindegaard seen only as back-up, De Gea will be first choice.
That means that his fourth competitive game for United will be at the Reebok Stadium against the likes of Kevin Davies to be followed the week after by the pressure of facing Chelsea at Old Trafford.
In this position and in United's situation, there is no hiding place, no rotation and if this move goes to plan, De Gea could be number one for the next decade.
For all the doubts, it is hard to argue with De Gea's potential. He is already physically developed, standing at 6ft 4ins, and played a full campaign for Atletico last season.
He also helped Madrid come through a Europe League semi-final against Liverpool after breaking into the side in April 2010.
De Gea arrives at United on the back of winning the European under 21 Championships, conceding just two goals along the way and his time in Denmark, spent largely as a spectator as his team-mates played keep-ball, will have been good preparation for United.
It is a mark of De Gea's progress that just two years ago Atletico came close to sanctioning a loan move to Wigan.
"Atletico Madrid just felt he had to stay, and they were proved to be right," Latics manager Roberto Martinez told the Wigan Evening Post.
"Shortly afterwards, their two senior goalkeepers got injured, he got an opportunity and he quickly became a hero. And everyone has been able to see for themselves the true quality of David De Gea.
"We followed him for a long, long time, and we have always known how good he is.
"He has matured so much at such a young age, and the price tag Manchester United are talking about already looks to be a bargain."
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