With the signing of Sergio Romero from Sampdoria, you wonder whether David de Gea getting closer to the Old Trafford exit door and what effect that could have on Louis Van Gaal's side.

In one word, it would be big. As it was once said by the great Sir Alex Ferguson, "a top goalkeeper gets you 15 points per season" and last season many would agree that de Gea did at least that.

And if he did leave, de Gea's departure would cost United dear. Not only is he a fantastic keeper who makes some 'good' saves, he made great saves when United need him to the most last term.

Of course with a goalkeeper it is tough to exactly work out how many points they earn their side over the course of the seasont as they do not score goals. Clean sheets don't really tell you everything.

But of course when a player leaves, the replacement of said player can either soften or accentuate the void. There's no doubting Romero's ability, but he's not of de Gea's standing, so perhaps in this instance the replacement won't quite match up and points could be lost over the course of a season instead.

The stats do show that de Gea had the impact many on lookers would have thought last season. His impact was huge in the United goal, as clear chances missed against the Spaniard was up at 68% second highest in the league. When compared to the league average, the Spaniard is keeping out 10% more clear chances than the any other goalkeeper in the Premier league.

One thing that highlights this point is how, according to Opt,a no Premier League side made more unpunished errors leading to chances than United last season. The reason why they didn't lead to goals was down to the Spanish international's heroics between the sticks.

The stats show that de Gea's brilliance last season prevented five goals that should have gone in, but for the Spaniard's efforts five goals may not seem like a lot.

But it depends on what five goals you are talking about. In the five games where the opposition missed more than three clear cut chances against United, the Reds won by more than one goal just once, meaning de Gea arguably won his side 12 points last season.

And for arguments sake, those 12 points could prove huge if he does indeed leave. It could be the difference between a fourth place or spot just inside the top seven. Or even the title and third place.

His impact can't be underestimated and his departure would have a huge impact on the Reds should they let him go this summer.

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