Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has revealed that he considered quitting the club after a mixed first season at Old Trafford.
The Spaniard joined United for £19m in 2011 - a British record fee for a goalkeeper - but struggled to justify the hefty sum after making a string of high-profile errors in his maiden season.
The 23-year-old has since settled and earned widespread praise for his performance in Sunday's 2-1 win over Everton, saving a Leighton Baines penalty before producing a series of crucial stops to thwart the Toffees.
When asked if he thought about leaving the Red Devils after one season, De Gea told Sky Sports News: "Sometimes. It's difficult when you get a lot of criticism like I did. But I kept strong and I always tried to remain positive.
"Those early days were difficult for me and my family. But when you play for a big club like Manchester United [being criticised] is normal when you don't play well.
"It was probably one of my best performances for Manchester United [on Sunday]. I was really happy about that. Games like that helps your confidence grow."
The former Atletico Madrid starlet has earned two clean sheets from seven Premier League outings thus far.
Shane Callaghan
