Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea says his happiness off the pitch is behind his excellent form with Fiorentina.

De Gea ended a 14-month spell without a club by agreeing a one-year contract with Fiorentina in August. The veteran goalkeeper went a staggering 446 days without playing a competitive match after being released by United in the summer of 2023 upon the expiry of his contract.

Erik ten Hag decided to let De Gea leave, deeming him unrequired with Andre Onana coming in to fill his place in the squad. That was despite De Gea winning the Golden Glove in his final season for the club and making 545 appearances over 12 years.

De Gea clearly felt disrespected by Ten Hag’s decision, marking his sacking by United on Monday by posting a suggestive emoji on social media. His decision to post a pinched fingers emoji went viral, with many noting its suggested meaning of what goes around comes around.

The 33-year-old keeper went through some tough times, forced to train by himself for over a year before Fiorentina gave him a new home. After a slow start, De Gea has now found his feet in Florence and is being hailed as a transformative signing.

He starred in their 1-0 win over Genoa on Thursday, moving the club up to fourth if Serie A. the display came soon after he saved two penalties in a 2-1 win over Italian giants AC Milan – a performance which earned rave reviews from Fiorentina manager Raffaele Palladino “Trust me, he’s still a monster,” Palladino said. “He’s a top, world-class player. We can see why he’s a champion, a real one. We should thank him every day, he’s a top goalkeeper and a role model.”

Speaking after the win over Genoa, De Gea outlined why he is performing at such a high level again. “It was very easy since I came here,” he told DAZN. “The truth is that the players, the coach, the staff and the fans are spectacular. It was easy to adapt, and I’m doing my best to help the team and make the fans happy.”

A post on De Gea’s Instagram recently summed up his feelings right now. It read: “Started in Spain, made in Manchester, loving it in Italy.” That post received replies from United captain, Bruno Fernandes who labelled De Gea a “legend” while Diogo Dalot added “numero 1”.

After Ruben Amorim was appointed as his replacement, Ten Hag released a statement on Friday night. It concluded: “I wish all Manchester United fans nothing but success, trophies and glory. Your support and the warmth I received from everyone at the club helped me feel at home. Thank you for this chapter in my life. Erik.” (Agency Report)