De Gea: My best season yet, but we need to win FA Cup

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea said he has had the best season of his career from a personal perspective, but wants to cap it off with silverware in Saturday’s FA Cup final.

De Gea almost departed Old Trafford on transfer deadline day last year only for his move to Real Madrid to be scuppered after the relevant paperwork was not completed on time.

But he has not let the transfer drama distract him, putting in some remarkable performances to help Untied to a fifth-place Premier League finish and an FA Cup final.

He won the United Player of the Year award for a record third-time running, was voted into the PFA Player of the Year and was seconds away from taking a share of the Premier League Golden Glove award only for a last-minute own goal in the final game of the season against AFC Bournemouth to wreck that in an otherwise superb individual season.

“It’s been the best season of my career,” said De Gea. “I’m in great shape physically and mentally I’m very focussed.

“If we win the FA Cup it will be a good season. We are all really keen to win such an important trophy for this club, our supporters and ourselves. We will fight to the end and do everything we can to win it.”

The Spain international said winning the FA Cup would prove the best possible way to end another tough season at Old Trafford and provide the platform for improved fortunes next term.

“We’ve had a couple of difficult seasons so we are really determined to win the cup,” he added.

“And winning it could provide us with that extra belief and motivation to hopefully go on and achieve great things.”