On Thursday in Brussels, Sergio Romero will play his 13th game of the season when Manchester United face Anderlecht in the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinal. Romero has a record of 11 wins and a draw from the matches he's played so far this campaign, the last of which was at Sunderland when he kept his ninth clean sheet in a 3-0 win.
Starting in Europe has been the norm for the 30-year-old, but Sunday was his first Premier League appearance since the start of last season. Back in August 2015, Romero was selected by then-manager Louis van Gaal ahead of David De Gea who, despite maintaining privately that he was completely focussed, was considered too distracted by Real Madrid's attention.
The proposed transfer to the Spanish club, who De Gea wanted to join, fell through at the last minute on transfer deadline day and the goalkeeper subsequently signed a four-year contract extension until 2019. United hope to activate a one-year extension this summer, which would result in another pay rise for the player.
Jose Mourinho said before kickoff that De Gea would not play at Sunderland because of "a little problem," later adding that the 26-year-old has a minor hip injury.
Former United defender Phil Neville, speaking on British TV, said: "I'm still amazed at David De Gea; it looks like he's been dropped to me. If he was injured, it'd be a simple thing in the press conference, saying: 'De Gea's carrying an injury, we've saving him for Thursday.'"
Prior to Sunday, De Gea had started all 29 league games this season but last weekend, after he returned from Spain duty sporting a sharp haircut, his performance against West Brom, in which he fumbled Darren Fletcher's shot from distance, was one of several that didn't win approval from his manager. Three days later, Everton's goal was a scruffy one to concede and it was uncharacteristic to see De Gea ranting at his teammates.
His current rest gives United's three-time player of the year time to focus ahead of a crucial run-in to the season but, for as long as he's one of the best in the world and Real Madrid are looking for a new goalkeeper, which they are doing to replace Keylor Navas, then there will always be speculation about De Gea returning to Spain.
Madrid also have interest in Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois -- as well as Eden Hazard -- but a source has told ESPN FC that they have been rejected by the Belgian goalkeeper, who was such a success at neighbours Atletico during three seasons on loan following De Gea's 2011 departure.
The attraction of Madrid to De Gea is obvious. He could be playing for the current European and world champions in his home city, from where his partner, as well as his closest friends and family come.
At present, he's playing for a club that hasn't come close to winning the Premier League for almost four seasons. It's true that Real Madrid are without a Liga title since 2012, but they've twice won the Champions League -- a competition they play in every season -- trophies in the meantime and are clear favourites to win La Liga this season.
As ever, De Gea will likely say next to nothing about his future and will smile through the glare of any camera. He can also keep his social media output to bland positives.
Fans would rather De Gea didn't leave and it worked to their favour that he wasn't jeered in the final games of 2014-15, when some at the club thought he'd end up at Madrid. United supporters have always been supportive of an excellent goalkeeper, who has been consistently excellent since a shaky start to life in English football.
In order to sign him, Madrid would have to pay a lot more than they were prepared to shell out two years ago and United are in a stronger negotiating position regarding a player they have no intention of selling.
United thought the Spanish giants didn't push hard enough to sign De Gea in 2015; while a broken fax machine was blamed, both clubs have different versions of what happened to suit their own agenda and protect the cards they were left holding.
For example, in the days before the transfer window closed, a poll by Madrid-based newspaper Marca overwhelmingly favoured Navas as the club's No. 1 and that softened the resolve to sign De Gea. For his part, Navas was prepared to join United in return and was kept waiting when the deal didn't go through.
De Gea and Mourinho share an agent, Jorge Mendes, but his job is to do what his client wants, though all parties can have an influence. De Gea has his own choice to make about the future of his career, while Mourinho, whose overall track record with goalkeepers is excellent, has to look at the bigger picture for the club he manages.