David de Gea Considers Fiorentina Stay Unless Manchester United Calls

David de Gea has made up his mind about this summer. He wants to stay in Florence. Only one club can change that.

According to journalist Niccolò Ceccarini, “only Manchester United” could prise the Spaniard away from Fiorentina at the end of the season. No Saudi millions, no late-career tour elsewhere. Just Old Trafford.

From exile to Florence cornerstone

De Gea walked into Fiorentina in August 2024 on a free transfer, a year after his abrupt Manchester United exit in 2023 had left him out of the game and, for a while, out of the conversation.

He has answered every doubt since.

At 35, he has become one of Fiorentina’s standout performers, racking up 86 appearances and 22 clean sheets. In a side that flirted dangerously with relegation earlier this season, his presence has been one of the few constants.

Fiorentina sit 16th, nine points clear of the drop. Safe, but shaken. A summer of upheaval is coming, with big names expected to move on as the club reshapes its squad and its wage bill.

De Gea, though, is not pushing for the exit. His contract runs until 2028 and, as things stand, he intends to see more of it in purple. The only scenario he is prepared to consider, Ceccarini reports, is a return to Manchester United.

United’s dilemma: romance vs reality

That leaves the question hanging over Old Trafford rather than over Florence.

Do United want him back?

The club have moved on in practical terms. Senne Lammens has established himself as the number one and impressed this season. The succession plan is in motion, and it does not revolve around reinstalling a former great as first choice.

Altay Bayindir, currently the number two, is expected to depart, which would open a slot for a new backup goalkeeper. On paper, it fits neatly: a proven veteran behind Lammens, capable of stepping in, guiding, steadying.

But would De Gea accept that? This is a man who made 545 appearances for Manchester United, who spent more than a decade as the last line of defence and, for long stretches, their best player. The idea of him returning as a clear understudy is both logical and jarring.

At 35, though, the role might suit him. Less physical grind, more influence in the dressing room, a chance to close the circle on his own terms.

There is another layer. His United departure three years ago never felt like a proper farewell. No grand send-off, no emotional lap of honour, no final ovation under the Old Trafford lights. Just a contract expiry and a quiet goodbye.

A short second spell would offer something different: closure. A final chapter instead of a full stop.

The decision now sits with Manchester United’s hierarchy. Do they lean into the sentiment, or stay cold and clinical in the market? Is there room in a modern, data-driven rebuild for a move driven partly by heart?

The opportunity is there. The player is willing. The door, for once, is open on both sides.