David de Gea considered Manchester United exit

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.