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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>De Gea offered Nottingham Forest lifeline</li><li>Ex-Man Utd goalkeeper rejected proposal</li><li>Remains without a club since last summer</li></ul>

Revealed: David de Gea rejected shock Premier League return in January as ex-Man Utd goalkeeper turned down Nottingham Forest offer in final week of window

Premier League

Nottingham Forest

Ipswich

<p>With Forest seemingly losing faith <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/nuno-espirito-santo-reacts-matt-turner-s-latest-nottingham-forest-blunder-usmnt-goalkeeper-flops-against-arsenal/blt55b679206491c36d" target="_blank">in goalkeepers Matt Turner</a> and Odysseas Vlachodimos, they were on the hunt for a new stopper in January. <a href="https://theathletic.com/5245494/2024/02/02/david-de-gea-forest-comeback/?source=user_shared_article" target="_blank"><em>The Athletic</em></a> has reported that they tried to tempt free agent De Gea to the City Ground, with intermediaries pitching a proposed short-term deal to his camp. This was seen as a way for the Spaniard to put himself in the 'shop window', with a view to securing a bigger move in the summer. But he wasn't interested, and Forest then <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/replacement-usmnt-matt-turner-nottingham-forest-deadline-day-strasbourg-matz-sels/blt9906c226fb605534" target="_blank">signed Matz Sels instead</a>.</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>De Gea remains a free agent and now faces spending a whole year out of football, unless a team find themselves in a sticky goalkeeper situation and he finds the opportunity appealing. Ironically, the Spaniard could very easily have still been playing for Manchester United <span>this season, </span>had the club not <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/revealed-why-david-de-gea-doesnt-have-new-contract-man-utd-lower-terms-offer-goalkeeper/blt5bfccf539d5b9f4e" target="_blank">withdrawn the offer of a new contract</a> and gone on to pursue Andre Onana. Repeated <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-sa/lists/david-de-gea-al-shabab-former-man-utd-goalkeeper-old-trafford/blt2446cca31687d2dd#cs90f19f779d076a34" target="_blank">speculation about going to Saudi Arabia</a> has never yielded anything concrete, while <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/david-de-gea-bayern-munich-transfer-manchester-city-stefan-ortega-bundesliga-goalkeeper/bltad097ab38bb188ba" target="_blank">Bayern Munich</a> and <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/news/real-madrid-man-utd-goalkeeper-david-de-gea-thibaut-courtois-injury/bltfa2e301541cc2fca" target="_blank">Real Madrid</a> were linked with De Gea last summer when both had goalkeeping needs that have since been addressed.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Even away from football, De Gea is finding ways to fill his time. He founded and owns an esports team called Rebels Gaming, convincing ex-United teammates Bruno Fernandes and Juan Mata to join as shareholders in the autumn of 2022.</p><p></p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C11w3Z9oppo/?hl=en" data-instgrm-version="13" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
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DID YOU KNOW?

<p>At 33, De Gea is by no means considered old for a goalkeeper. But the longer he is out of football, the closer he is to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/de-gea-manchester-united-nganggur-pensiun/blt144faaaef46c366f" target="_blank">sleepwalking towards retirement,</a> as it will only get increasingly difficult to get back into it. If the summer comes and goes without him joining a new club, the likelihood of anything but retirement seems slim.</p>

WHAT NEXT FOR DE GEA?

Revealed: David de Gea rejected shock Premier League return in January as ex-Man Utd goalkeeper turned down Nottingham Forest offer in final week of window | Goal.com

David de Gea turned down the chance to make his Premier League comeback with Nottingham Forest, seven months after his Manchester United release.