David De Gea is a product of Atletico Madrid’s academy. Tall, athletic and confident with the ball, he progressed quickly through the youth ranks and spent his first professional season, 2008/09, with the club’s reserves. A first-team debut arrived early in the following term via a substitute appearance against FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League on 30 September 2009 - and thereafter he never looked back.
De Gea capped his maiden campaign in Atletico Madrid's first team by playing a major role in winning the UEFA Europa League - the club's first major European trophy in almost 50 years.

His already burgeoning reputation was further enhanced during his second full season in La Liga and rumours of United's interest, which had first surfaced in January 2010, were more widely circulated when the Reds' then goalkeeping coach Eric Steele was seen scouting the youngster.
By the end of the 2010/11 season, David was widely touted by several media outlets as the primary choice to replace the retiring Edwin van der Sar at Old Trafford, although talks were put on hold whilst he helped Spain win UEFA’s Under-21 European Championship in Denmark. The transfer was completed after the tournament, on 29