Man Utd Trophy Drought Has Gone on Too Long, Says Dejected de Gea

David de Gea. (AP)
David de Gea. (AP)
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Man Utd Trophy Drought Has Gone on Too Long, Says Dejected de Gea

David de Gea. (AP)
David de Gea. (AP)

Manchester United have gone too many years without trophies and need a more determined collective effort to end their drought, goalkeeper David de Gea said after they crashed out of the Champions League following a defeat by Atletico Madrid.

A first-half header from Renan Lodi gave Atletico a 1-0 win on Tuesday for a 2-1 aggregate last-16 victory that extinguished United's hopes of a title this season and extended their trophy drought to five years.

"Of course it's not good enough," De Gea, who was part of the United squad that won the Europa League crown in 2017, said. "There are too many years without any trophies, even without fighting for trophies.

"We need to be clear we want to achieve good things and fight for trophies. We don't just want to play for the top four and get out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals.

"So we need much more from everyone because this club is too big for where we are now. We are far from the fighting places for the Premier League, for the Champions League, so we need much more from everyone."

United are fifth in the Premier League with 50 points from 29 games and face a daunting task to make the top four and earn a place in next year's Champions League.

"This is where we are at the moment. It's a difficult situation. We have to keep fighting. I feel very sad. But we were not good enough," De Gea said of the Atletico result.

"We are really disappointed with the result. It's difficult to put into words how we feel at the moment. We did not enough in both games to win it. It's a disappointing day for us."



Lille Striker Jonathan David Considering New Contract Offer

FILE - Lille's Jonathan David celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Lille and Juventus at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, outside Lille, France, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
FILE - Lille's Jonathan David celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Lille and Juventus at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, outside Lille, France, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
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Lille Striker Jonathan David Considering New Contract Offer

FILE - Lille's Jonathan David celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Lille and Juventus at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, outside Lille, France, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
FILE - Lille's Jonathan David celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Lille and Juventus at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, outside Lille, France, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)

Jonathan David is considering a new contract from Lille and says his chances of staying at the French club are “50-50.”
The 24-year-old Canada striker is enjoying his fifth season at Lille and tops the league's scoring charts with 11 goals from 15 games. He is out of contract at the end of June and has reportedly been offered a two-year contract.
“As the president (Olivier Létang) said several times, discussions are going on. We're talking but no decision has been reached,” David told regional newspaper La Voix du Nord on Monday in an interview. “The door is never closed. It's 50-50.”
David has netted 17 goals overall this season — including four in the Champions League and two in the qualifying rounds — to take his tally to 101 since joining in 2020.
He is one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe and Lille risks losing him for nothing if he does not sign a new deal. However, Létang previously made it clear he would not sell David during the January transfer window.
Lille is in fourth place in the league and hosts struggling Nantes on Saturday when Ligue 1 resumes following a winter break.