Manchester United star David de Gea has revealed his enduring love for his adopted city.
De Gea has enjoyed a solid return to form this season, with an ever present place in United’s Premier League campaign, and five starts from six games in the Champions League.
Links with Real Madrid now appeared to be buried in the past, with the former Atletico Madrid stopper looking ahead to the challenge of facing Diego Simeone’s side in the last 16 this week.
The Spanish international has frequently been connected with a return to La Liga, amid constant rumours of homesickness in Manchester, but the 31-year-old feels more at home than ever.
“I like the fact I was born in Madrid, but at the end of the day, it’s just a city”, he told an interview with UEFA, via the Daily Mirror.
“Now I feel as if I’m from Manchester, I feel like anyone else from Manchester.
“Where you are loved and welcomed is your home. I’ve been here for many years and anything can happen in life and in football, but I don’t see myself away from Manchester United.”
De Gea is set to face his old club for the first time since his departure in 2011, six months before Simeone took charge of Atletico.
Across 11 seasons at Old Trafford, de Gea has made 365 top flight appearances, placing him fifth on the club’s all time Premier League list, just ahead of iconic former captain Roy Keane.
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