Real Sociedad and Villarreal, watchful of De Gea's future
The two Spanish clubs need to strengthen their goalkeeping, while Fiorentina wants to part ways with the goalkeeper in the summer.
David De Gea could change teams at the end of the season, and his situation at Fiorentina opens a possible opportunity for Real Sociedad and Villarreal. The Spanish goalkeeper is under contract until June 2028, but the Italian club is considering alternatives after several errors and due to a salary of 3.5 million euros net per season.
David De Gea fits the needs of Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad has an outstanding issue in goal: the contract of Álex Remiro ends in 2027. The situation of the Spanish international forces the Donostia club to consider various future scenarios, especially if it cannot secure his continuity.
In this context, De Gea emerges as an experienced alternative at the elite level. The goalkeeper, who turned 36 years old on November 7, knows LaLiga from his time at Atlético de Madrid and Manchester United, in addition to accumulating two seasons in Italian football since his arrival in Florence in 2024.
The option would have an economic difficulty. The 3.5 million net he earns at Fiorentina represents a high salary for a deal that would also require assessing the exit conditions of a player under contract until 2028.
Real will first have to resolve Remiro's future. His contractual situation makes next summer a crucial moment to define who will defend the team's goal in the medium term.
🚨 Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea could leave Fiorentina at the end of the season. The Italian club are assessing replacements after a series of costly errors, with De Gea earning €3.5M net per season. River Plate's Santiago Beltran is among the options, while Fiorentina also have Tommaso Martinelli on loan at Avellino. (Source: @CorSport)
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) November 11, 2026
Villarreal also seeks stability in goal
Villarreal has sporting reasons to review its goalkeeping situation. Luiz Júnior has not managed to provide consistency in performance, and the competition with Péter Gulácsi has not cleared all doubts.
The Hungarian goalkeeper is 36 years old, a factor that forces the evaluation of his addition or continuity from a short-term perspective. His experience may offer immediate alternatives, but it does not alone solve the planning of the goalkeeping position for the coming seasons.
Luiz Júnior's situation has also sparked debate. In September, the Brazilian had conceded eight goals in his first four league matches, a sequence that opened discussions about the starting position. The coach, Íñigo Pérez, acknowledged at the time that there was no indisputable owner of the position.
De Gea would offer an option with international experience and a background in top-level competitions. However, his age and salary conditions would be two central aspects in any evaluation by Villarreal.
Fiorentina prepares De Gea's replacement
In Italy, the Spaniard's continuity has come under review after several errors during the season. The most recent came against Juventus, in the 2-2 draw last weekend, when his intervention in an aerial action preceded the goal by Gleison Bremer.
Coach Paolo Vanoli publicly defended the goalkeeper, but the sports management led by Fabio Paratici is already studying alternatives. Among them are Tommaso Martinelli, owned by Fiorentina and on loan at Avellino, and Santiago Beltrán, the goalkeeper from River Plate.
Next summer will be decisive to know De Gea's future. Fiorentina must finalize its planning, while Real Sociedad and Villarreal will need to define their priorities in goal before evaluating a move for the Spaniard.
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