Sir Alex Ferguson needed a replacement for the retired Edwin van der Sar, and the Spanish prospect fitted the bill.
Fast forward 11 years, 487 appearances, seven trophies and a wealth of individual accolades later, and De Gea has firmly established himself as a fan favourite and a trusted senior player.
As we look ahead to the 2022/23 season, and a new era under new boss Erik ten Hag, we took a look at which accolades our no.1 has achieved so far, and what he may accomplish next term.
DE GEA’S ACCOLADES TO DATE
Under Sir Alex, the Spaniard won the Premier League in 2013, and he has also won the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League with the Reds.