David de Gea did not retire from football after leaving Manchester United, but he spent the entire last season without a team. Now, that might be closer than ever to changing.

The Spanish goalkeeper had been linked with Genoa of the Italian Serie A, a team in need of a goalkeeper after their previous one, Josep Martínez, moved to Inter Milan.

However, according to Fabrizio Romano, Martínez's replacement will not be De Gea, but rather Pierluigi Gollini from Atalanta. This news comes as a disappointment for De Gea's fans, who were hoping to see his return to competition after more than 420 days away.

Despite his absence from competitive play, De Gea did not lack offers after leaving Old Trafford. He received proposals from Saudi Arabia and the United States, but none of them were appealing enough for him to make a move.

A Very Active Year

Even though he has been out of competition for a year, David de Gea is not starting from scratch. He has been training solo throughout this period.

This is evident from the videos he has shared on his social media during this time without a team, showing his dedication and readiness to return to the field.