5 reasons why David de Gea is the greatest Manchester United goalkeeper of all time

David de Gea is arguably the world’s best goalkeeper at this moment in time. Commanding, a superb shot-stopper and an excellent distributor, there aren’t many that are better in the modern game than the Spaniard.

Saying that, there’s even a case to be made, that he’s one of the best of all time. Better yet, he’s the best goalkeeper that a very famous club has ever seen and could undoubtedly be the top man in the next few years, should he stay.

Here are five reasons why De Gea is the greatest man to wear the number one jersey for Manchester United:

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#5 His shot-stopping ability

The one consistent in his career - stopping opponents from scoring

There’s a reason for the social media trend "#DaveSaves".

De Gea is a top-drawer shot stopper. His athleticism is almost unparalleled, enabling him to both spring in the air to deny shots in to the top corners, while also being able to get up quickly to stop second-chance opportunities.

Not only that, he pushes the ball out of danger extremely well, is superb in one-on-one scenarios as he stays on his feet for as long as possible and uses his legs better than any goalkeeper in the world. He’s like Inspector Gadget, he has all the tricks up his sleeve.

His free-kick save against Chelsea in a 3-3 draw, his self-proclaimed favorite, and his unbelievable reaction stop at the Emirates earlier this season too, are simply sublime. A goalkeeper's job is to keep the ball out of their net and the 27-year-old is one of the best to do it in the world.

#4 A very modern goalkeeper

An all-rounder that could be a star at any club

Don’t think he’s just a shot-stopper, because De Gea also succeeds in every aspect required from a modern goalkeeper, especially in the Premier League. He’s strong and confident when coming out for crosses, he instructs his defence well and has the ideal concentration skills for a keeper at a club expected to dominate most games.

But most of all, he’s good with the ball at his feet. Unafraid of embarrassing a charging forward with his footwork, the Spanish international is comfortable at both: keeping play ticking over and launching counter-attacks or long balls against a high press. This is a vital asset in the modern game, even for mid-table sides.

The fact that Sir Alex Ferguson signed him partially because of his distribution, something he adored in his previous goalkeepers, says everything. He’s much more than a man holding down the fort, he’s very much a part of the team.

#3 He grew with the team

Doubts lingered for a long time, but those were overcome quite superbly

When he came to the Manchester back in 2011, everyone was just waiting to see him fail. He wasn’t strong enough, he would flap at corners, he would make mistakes, everyone would pile on as he failed to burst out of the gate in his first few seasons. Many already declared him to be a bust.

But a beautiful butterfly hatched from the cocoon, as De Gea slowly won the hearts of the fans and the minds of the critics over. Sir Alex Ferguson kept faith with him, he worked on rounding out his skillset and his frame, eventually proving exactly why the club paid so much for him.

Players like Peter Schmeichel seemed superb from the start, while Edwin Van der Sar was a ready-made star. The Spaniard grew right in front of our eyes and seeing that struggle only highlights the excellence we see before us now.

#2 His predecessors played in better teams

De Gea keeping out Lacazette

Peter Schmeichel had class defenders like Jaap Stam and Gary Palister in front of him, Edwin van der Sar had the dynamic duo of Rio Ferdinard and Nemanja Vidic.

So, who does De Gea have? A choice between Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo, Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof. Not exactly a Hall of Fame class and the entire back four have been a weak spot for almost the entirety of his career at Old Trafford.

The major reason that’s a factor is that he’s had more to do than any other of those big name shot-stoppers. In fact, he now holds the joint-record for the most saves in a Premier League match with his 14 stops against Arsenal this season.

While there’s no denying there have been some world class players in De Gea’s squads and a goalkeeper’s quality shouldn’t be judged on those in front of him, it does help strengthen his case against his decorated competition.

#1 He has plenty left in the tank

The fact he could have a United career that spans two decades is frightening

You might have forgotten, but the Spaniard has only just turned 27 years old. In goalkeeping years, that’s nothing compared to some of the best between the sticks, who have played into their early 40s.

It gets more astonishing when you factor in that he’s already played more games for the Red Devils than Van Der Sar. He could even sneak past Schmeichel’s number of appearances in a few years’ time.

So long as they can keep Real Madrid’s interest at bay, United are fully aware they have one of the best in the world and someone who could still be their number one for the next decade. If he is, it will be because he’s continued to shine as an almost unbeatable force when he's at his very best.

Should De Gea stay in his current form, there would be no question of him being the best goalkeeper to grace the Theatre of Dreams. As for now, he is already up there when talking about the greatest goalkeepers ever to call Old Trafford home.