Was Jose Mourinho right about David de Gea? Tottenham boss claimed error-prone Manchester United goalkeeper was ‘lucky’ to get bumper new contract
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho appears to have made an accurate prediction regarding David de Gea's rapid fall from grace.
Mourinho claimed De Gea was 'lucky' to sign a bumper new contract while on punditry duty for Sky Sports last September, with the Spaniard enduring a difficult 2019/20 campaign.
De Gea, who earns around £375,000-a-week, was unable to keep out Olivier Giroud's opener and then fumbled Mason Mount's long-range effort after the interval as United lost 3-1 against Chelsea in their FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.
While Mourinho believes De Gea is a 'very good' keeper, he does feel he was fortunate to land a mega-money new deal.
"De Gea? I think the moment when he signed his huge contract, is the moment I don't think United needs to pay as much as that to have him," Mourinho said.
"One or two years ago he had the world after him, in this moment, the majority of the big doors were closed.
"The Real Madrid door is closed, they don't need a goalkeeper after [Thibaut] Courtois. Barcelona is closed with young and fantastic [Marc-Andre] ter Stegen and Paris Saint-Germain is closed too as they signed Keylor Navas who is a very good goalkeeper.
"I don't see the pressure," he continued. "Who is going to pay David these numbers? [De Gea] gets a phenomenal contract in a moment where he's a bit lucky to get it. Is he good? Yes, he's very good.
"David is much better on the line than coming out. I think in goal, his agility and technical level is second to none."
Last month, United legend Roy Keane also said he would have been 'swinging punches' at the goalkeeper for failing to keep out Tottenham's opener through Steven Bergwijn.
Speaking to the BBC after United's defeat to Chelsea, Newcastle legend Alan Shearer called for Dean Henderson to replace De Gea next season.
“If the goalkeeper has made one, possibly two [errors], you’d think, ‘okay, stick with him’. But now you’d think it’s time [to change]," he explained.
“It wouldn’t be so bad if it was just one, but it keeps happening.
“I think you bring him [Henderson] back to Manchester United when you think he’s going to be the no.1.
“I don’t think there’s any point bringing him back to sit on the bench. If you’re going to bring Henderson back he has to bring him back as no.1, otherwise let him stay out there and keep on gaining experience.
“But has the time come? Yes. The time has come for that."