David de Gea has attributed his excellent form for Fiorentina to his happiness off the pitch, following a difficult period after leaving Manchester United. The 33-year-old goalkeeper joined Fiorentina in August on a one-year contract, ending a 14-month spell without a club after being released by United in 2023 when his contract expired.
Erik ten Hag decided to let De Gea leave, bringing in Andre Onana as his replacement, despite De Gea winning the Golden Glove in his final season and making 545 appearances for the club. De Gea appeared to reference Ten Hag's sacking by United on Monday with a suggestive emoji on social media, which many interpreted as a comment on karma.
After a slow start in Florence, De Gea has found his form, playing a key role in Fiorentina's rise to fourth in Serie A. He saved two penalties in a 2-1 win over AC Milan and kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory against Genoa. Fiorentina manager Raffaele Palladino praised him, saying: "Trust me, he's still a monster. He's a top, world-class player."
De Gea said after the Genoa win: "It was very easy since I came here. The players, the coach, the staff and the fans are spectacular. I’m doing my best to help the team and make the fans happy." His Instagram post reading "Started in Spain, made in Manchester, loving it in Italy" received replies from Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, who called him a "legend" and "numero 1" respectively.
