De Gea has enjoyed a successful stay at United since arriving in June 2011, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Europa League.
But the one trophy to evade him is the illustrious Champions League.
Having joined after United finished as runners up in Europe’s premier competition to Barcelona, United have since failed to progress past the quarter-finals during De Gea’s time at the club.
They have only managed to reach the last eight once in his seven seasons before the current campaign, having spent two of them outside the Champions League entirely.
The Spanish No 1 was heavily linked with Real Madrid several years ago only for a transfer to fall through in dramatic circumstances. Los Blancos have since won three straight Champions League titles since then having claimed four of the last five.
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Real Madrid snapped up Thibaut Courtois from Chelsea in the summer, seeming to put to bed any chance of De Gea – who has won four of the club’s last five Player of the Year awards – leaving Old Trafford.
And United were thought to be confident of therefore tying De Gea down to a new long-term contract with his current deal expiring this coming summer – though they have an option to extend his deal by an extra 12 months.
Yet negotiations between the 28-year-old and United have hit a snag and former Red Devils goalkeeping coach Eric Steele – who played a role in bringing De Gea to the club from Atletico Madrid by recommending him – thinks that may be because the player wants to compete for the biggest continental prize.
Speaking to the Goalkeepers’ Union Podcast, Steele said: “If you ask David now, he is fully committed to Manchester United.
“He has got a fantastic rapport with the players and the fans, but he wants to be a winner and inevitably he might look at his pathway now and think, ‘Will I get that at Manchester United?’
“Certainly at the moment they are still in the Champions League.
“But he sees other clubs getting bigger and stronger, it is becoming more competitive. And he is now 28 and coming into his prime years so it is understandable that he may be looking.
“But I think until somebody tells me he is leaving I think he will be fully committed.
“Long may David stay in England, long may he continue but you would understand why if he wants to win that ultimate prize, will he be gaining that at Manchester United? I hope he does, I really do, for the sake of the club.
“Because when you have been at somewhere like Manchester United you cannot stop being a supporter just when you leave it.
“So ideally I want him to stay and give great value to Manchester United and to the Premier League.”
United have endured a rocky season so far and sit 12 points adrift of rivals Man City in the league but are on course to make the knockout rounds of the Champions League.
They face Young Boys at home in the fifth round of group stage fixtures in the week after the international break and will progress if they win and Valencia fail to beat Juventus in Turin.