River agreed with him (or rather his agent — he already had one even at that young age) to pay him US$ 40,000 before he began life in
the professional youth divisions which would lead, eventually, to the first team.
De Gea, part of the is a product of Atletico's
youth academy, spending his first
professional season with the club's reserves in the Segunda
Division B before making his senior debut as a substitute in the Champions League against Porto in September 2009.