David de Gea has finally ended his year-long sabbatical to join Fiorentina, with the Spanish keeper having struggled to adjust to leaving Manchester United last summer

David de Gea has hailed Manchester United as a 'top, top club' as he admitted struggling to adjust to leaving the Red Devils.

Spanish goalkeeper De Gea was released back in the summer of 2023, bringing an end to a 12-year stay at Old Trafford. Following his exit, the stopper spent a year in the wilderness but he has now finally returned to football with Fiorentina.

The 33-year-old has signed a one-year deal with the Serie A side, with questions remaining over how he will cope after such a long spell on the sidelines. De Gea made 545 appearances with United and was part of the squad that won the club its last Premier League title in 2013.

Having spent such a long time in Manchester, the keeper revealed he struggled to accept his departure. But he has now insisted he still holds United close to his heart despite the heartbreak of having to leave.

"United is a top, top club and my heart will always be there. I never thought about retiring, it was just difficult to find motivations for a new chapter after 12 years at a top club like Man United… and I finally felt that at Fiorentina," he said.

“I spent a year in Manchester before returning to Madrid. I wanted to stay at a high level. I didn’t stop. It’s not easy to train alone. I spent two years in Manchester, it’s my home. That’s where my heart is set.

"It was difficult for me to find motivation to evaluate offers, so I decided to take a sabbatical. I am fit, I trained every day, even more than before. I am on a good level. Perhaps it will take some time in the first games, but I’ve been playing for many years, so you just need to put me in goal.”

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De Gea also revealed that despite being without a club for so long, he continued to receive offers throughout his sabbatical. And the Spaniard handed special praise to Fiorentina's backroom team for convincing him to join La Viola.

“I am proud to wear the Viola shirt and to represent Florence. Thank you all. I want to thank the technical staff. It was a different year than usual. I decided to take a sabbatical, but I continued training alone," he added.

"I had to be at my best, and when Fiorentina arrived, I had clear ideas. They have great fans and a great history. It was an easy decision; I didn’t want to retire. Fiorentina have had great players and goalkeepers.

"I want to be part of the club’s history, help the young players, and have a winning mentality. I received many offers, but I wanted to play in Italy. Pradé and Ferrari made it all easier, the parties had the same desire.

"The negotiation was simple, Fiorentina were the best option. Serie A is one of the best leagues in the world and I can’t wait to meet everyone. We must immediately focus on the Parma game. We can dream of winning trophies and reaching our targets.”