Ridiculous clamour for David de Gea Manchester United return must motivate Andre Onana turnaround

Absence always makes the heart grow fonder, with the strongest positive memories staying at the forefront of the mind while all those little negative ones slide away.

What's a few high-profile and costly mistakes in crucial matches, a persistent weakness at the near post, a frail marshalling of the box and a complete lack of confidence in possession compared to years of loyal service and countless incredible saves? It's always easy to overlook the bad times when it's so much nicer to remember the good.

David de Gea is a Manchester United legend. That can never be taken away. During some very bleak years, he was the one player to remain at a world-class standard and kept the club from sliding even further into the abyss. But the time had come to move on.

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While still capable of the unfathomable, De Gea simply isn't a goalkeeper compatible with the top end of the modern game. The Spaniard has always been an old-school, 'I save shots' goalkeeper and couldn't move with the times.

He was never comfortable with the ball at his feet, his distribution was inaccurate and he was slow off his line. The exact opposite is required of elite goalkeepers at the biggest clubs. Erik ten Hag wants to take United in that direction but it would be impossible with De Gea between the sticks.

It's why he was dropped from the Spain team years ago and why he is still without a club months after being released. De Gea is a goalkeeping dinosaur for whom the meteor finally landed.

There was little bad-mouthing of the decision when it was finally made in July, other than