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Football

05th Jun 2021

David De Gea appears to aim dig at Man Utd as Sergio Romero finally leaves

Simon Lloyd

Romero finally left United earlier this week

Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has appeared to aim a dig at the club over their treatment of Sergio Romero as the Argentine finally left Old Trafford earlier this week.

Romero has been De Gea’s understudy for the majority of his six years in Manchester and appeared certain to leave a year ago, when Dean Henderson returned from his loan spell at Sheffield United.

Despite reported interest from elsewhere in the Premier League and beyond, a move failed to materialise and Romero remained a United player beyond the close of last summer’s extended transfer window. He spent much of the early part of the season back in his homeland, failing to make a single appearance for United after eventually returning to England.

United’s refusal to sanction a move elsewhere not only sparked a scathing post from Romero’s wife on Instagram, it also reportedly angered some of the goalkeeper’s teammates.

A tweet from De Gea, wishing Romero well in his next challenge, hints that he was one of those who felt Romero deserved better from the club.

“Good luck, Chiqui!,” De Gea’s tweet reads. “I wish you success, my friend. You deserve to be treated well in your new challenge. Enjoy.”

Plenty of United supporters interpreted the tweet as De Gea making a thinly-veiled swipe at those who blocked Romero’s chance to move on last year.

In doing so, some might even wonder where this leaves the Spaniard, who has also been linked with a move away from United in recent months.

De Gea is one of United’s highest earners but is no longer guaranteed a starting berth under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has favoured Henderson during a number of games over the second half of the season.

Solskjaer did, however, stick with De Gea for the Europa League final with Villarreal. He ended up missing United’s eleventh penalty in the shoot-out, handing victory to the Spanish side.