Fabrizio Romano has insisted he wouldn't be surprised if David de Gea remains Manchester United's No 1 for next season.

The Lowdown: De Gea's kicking continues to be his downfall

A lot has been made of De Gea's poor ability to play out from the back or even kick successfully to teammates, which has been highlighted within the national media.

It's certainly something that De Gea could improve on, as Erik ten Hag clearly doesn't trust him to play out from the back - the Spaniard's average length of goal kicks is the sixth-highest in the league (FBref).

While De Gea is indeed picked out for his poor distribution, the fact that his job is to keep the ball out of the net - and kept 11 league clean sheets this term - suggests he could be trusted for another season by Ten Hag.

The Latest: Ten Hag may stick with De Gea

Romano has claimed on The United Stand YouTube channel that De Gea could well be Man United's No 1 next season despite interest in other goalkeepers such as David Raya.

He said: "From what I understand, they're still speaking to David de Gea. They're still speaking to David de Gea [about] a new contract, they're still discussing on different terms - this is why they didn't trigger the option to extend the contract until June 2024, because they want to change the salary structure for David de Gea and find a way together with the player.

"So, I would not be surprised if the goalkeeper of Man United next season would be again David de Gea. He has a good relationship with many teammates, a good relationship with the coach.

"Of course, with his feet, he's probably not the best in the world, but we also know he is also an important and popular player in the dressing room for Manchester United.

"At the moment, the conversation between David de Gea and Man United is still ongoing and they're still discussing over a new contract."

The Verdict: Man United may be compromised by De Gea

This comes after it has been reported recently that there's a strong possibility he leaves in the summer.

A lot has been reported about Man United looking to explore the goalkeeper market this summer with the likes of Diogo Costa and Raya among those tipped for a potential move to Old Trafford, but this news from Romano could see things change.

If Man United and Ten Hag were to place their trust in De Gea once again as they look to step into a title challenge next season, it would somewhat be a sign of a U-turn - and one that may not be justified.

At the age of 32, it appears virtually impossible that De Gea will be able to improve his game, which means he'll likely continue to struggle with the ball at his feet and could therefore compromise the way Ten Hag wishes to play.