The 33-year-old Spaniard has been unattached to a club since departing from Manchester United at the conclusion of last season.
Despite various offers from clubs in England and Saudi Arabia, De Gea has expressed a preference for remaining in Spain for his next club, as reported earlier this month by SunSport.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona has been keeping a close eye on the former Manchester United stalwart. For financially constrained Barcelona, acquiring De Gea on a free transfer could be advantageous.
Should Barcelona pursue De Gea, it would likely be in a backup role to Marc-Andre ter Stegen, their current first-choice goalkeeper. However, the report also mentions that Ter Stegen, 31, has garnered interest from Saudi Arabia and recently endured a spell on the sidelines due to a back injury. During his absence, academy product Inaki Pena filled in, but doubts remain over whether the Spain Under-21 international is ready to cement his place in the starting lineup.
De Gea bid farewell to Old Trafford last summer after an impressive 12-year stint, featuring 545 appearances. In his final season, he clinched the Premier League’s Golden Glove award. Although he reportedly agreed to a contract extension with United, the club withdrew from the deal. There were considerations to bring De Gea back earlier this season when his replacement Andre Onana was unavailable due to AFCON commitments, but ultimately, Onana’s absence was limited to just one game.