David de Gea's final words as a Manchester United player are telling amid rumours of shock return

David De Gea’s final words as a Manchester United player are telling amid rumours the Spaniard may return to Old Trafford.

According to the Sun’s Neil Custis, United are planning to sign De Gea on a short-term deal amid worries they will be short on keepers when Andre Onana goes to the Africa Cup of Nations in the new year.

De Gea left United this summer after a 12-year spell at the club upon the expiry of his deal despite having just won the Premier League’s Golden Glove.

United were criticised for their treatment of De Gea at the time, having initially offered the 32-year-old reduced terms to stay at United, before taking that deal off the table and making another even less lucrative proposal.

De Gea has been without a club ever since.

However, the Sun has claimed United are now set to offer De Gea a short-term deal, with Onana set to miss up to eight matches in January and February due to his International duties at AFCON.

Whether De Gea would accept such a proposition remains to be seen, however, given that the 45-cap Spain international insisted he was eager for a “new challenge” upon leaving Old Trafford.

In a social media post at the time De Gea said: "I just wanted to send this farewell message to all Manchester United supporters.

"I would like to express my unwavering gratitude and appreciation for the love from the last 12 years. We've achieved a lot since my dear Sir Alex Ferguson brought me to this club.

"I took incredible pride every time I pulled on this shirt, to lead the team, to represent this institution, the biggest club in the world was an honour only bestowed upon a few lucky footballers.

"It's been an unforgettable and successful period since I came here. I didn't think from leaving Madrid as a young boy we would achieve what we did together.

"Now, it's the right time to undertake a new challenge, to push myself again in new surroundings.

"Manchester will always be in my heart, Manchester has shaped me and will never leave me. We've seen it all."

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