De Gea thanks Manchester United team-mates for support

Sep 12, 2013 4:26:00 PM

The goalkeeper says settling into life at Old Trafford has been made easier due to the rest of the squad, but says the new culture in England is still an ongoing learning curve

Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has heaped praise upon his colleagues for helping him settle into life at Old Trafford.

Since moving from Atletico Madrid to the Premier League champions in 2011, the 22-year-old has cemented his place as first-choice goalkeeper after initially losing his starting berth twice to Anders Lindegaard.

De Gea puts his success down to self-confidence and belief but has reserved special praise for the rest of the United squad.

"Everyone in the squad helps you a lot and the settling-in process is made a lot easier by the fact that there is such a warm atmosphere," he told the club's official website.

"At first, everything is new. The football, the culture and how people live - it's about learning how things work at the club and getting to know your team-mates. The support I have had from everyone at the club has been fantastic," he added.

De Gea, though, notes that his career at Old Trafford is still in its early stages and the difference in culture between Spain and England is an ongoing learning curve.

He continued: "It's more about all the things you learn rather than one individual thing. It's an ongoing process as well, especially when you come to a club from another country. The whole thing is a great experience."