Enrique offers ruthless De Gea verdict as Man Utd star suffers fresh snub

Luis Enrique has revealed he wants his Spain goalkeepers to be comfortable playing out from the back after leaving David de Gea out of his 24-man squad for their Nations League matches.

The Manchester United stopper remains out of favour with Enrique, having been snubbed for their matches against Portugal, Switzerland and Czech Republic. De Gea was also left out of the squad earlier this year, with his last international call-up coming back in November.

Despite the Red Devils enduring a disappointing season, De Gea was one of the only players to come away from the campaign with any credit. The 31-year-old enjoyed an excellent campaign between the sticks and ended up coming away with the club's Players' Player of the Year award.

De Gea's form for United, though, has not been enough to convince Enrique to include him with the former Barcelona boss instead siding with Athletic Bilbao keeper Unai Simon as his number one. Brentford's David Raya and Brighton 'keeper Robert Sanchez will were picked to provide adequate competition.

Enrique has now suggested the decision is down to De Gea's distribution, as well as his ability under the high ball. He also declared the other three players are ahead of De Gea in the pecking order at the moment.

"I look to have three starting goalkeepers and I think that right now I have them. Honestly. I wouldn't have an issue with any of the three of them starting," he said.

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"Unai has accumulated some interesting experience. A goalkeeper should start the play and generate the first superiority, they must dominate the aerial play," the 52-year-old added.

"I need a goalkeeper that transmits peace and calmness to me - and that doesn't mean they won't make mistakes, errors are part of football. But what they generate I like a lot."

De Gea picked up his first Spain cap in 2014 and has since clocked up 45 matches for his national team over the past eight years. The shot-stopper was taken to the World Cup in Brazil but was only used as third choice.

But four years later, De Gea was the main man at the tournament in Russia under Julen Lopetegui, playing all four games as they lost against Russia in the last 16. De Gea also made Enrique's squad for Euro 2020 but Simon played ahead of him during Spain's run to the semi-finals. It seems unlikely that he will win back the No. 1 jersey before this winter's World Cup in Qatar.