Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has been reportedly left out of Spain’s provisional 55-man squad for the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup set to take place in Qatar.
The 31-year-old, who has made 16 appearances in all competitions for Manchester United this season, has struggled to get game-time under Luis Enrique’s reign in charge of the national team.
Back in March, he was arguably the biggest omission from Spain’s 23-man squad that was announced to face Albania and Iceland, with Brentford’s sweeper keeper David Raya renowned for his passing ability, awarded his first international call-up instead.
“It is part of the tracing we do with the goalkeepers,” said Enrique while explaining his decision to bring in Raya. “He is a player who is doing very well. I really want to see it in the context of the selection. He has the necessary profile to play with us.”
It could be suggested that De Gea does not suit Enrique’s style of play. The Spaniard has in the past, been criticised for his distribution and hesitancy in possession.
And it appears the former Atletico Madrid goalkeeper has been overlooked once again, according to Spanish publication AS, who suggest Enrique has already submitted a 55-man squad to FIFA without De Gea.
In fact, the former Barcelona manager has named five goalkeepers in his provisional squad, with three of those plying their trade in the Premier League.
Spanish publication AS claim Brentford’s David Raya, Athletic Bilbao’s Unai Simon and Brighton’s Robert Sanchez would likely be the three shot-stoppers expected to fly to Qatar for the Mundial, while in-form Kepa Arrizalaga from Chelsea and Getafe’s David Soria have been chosen as back-ups.
De Gea’s has not featured for the Spanish national team since October 2020, when he played the full 90 minutes in their 1-0 defeat to Ukraine in the UEFA Nations League.
Apex Football News 