David de Gea is considering signing a new deal with Manchester United and performing a dramatic U-turn because the goalkeeper believes Real Madrid were at fault for his move to the Spanish club collapsing.
The transfer fell through on 31 August, the end of Spain’s summer transfer window. The next day United moved to make clear to De Gea and his advisers they had acted impeccably in the affair. This was accepted by the goalkeeper and his camp and De Gea believes Real had ensured the deal would not occur.
De Gea and his advisors were surprised when Real waited until the lunchtime of 31 August to finally lodge a first bid for the goalkeeper. Once this offer was eventually raised to a deal worth £29m that included Keylor Navas coming the other way, De Gea was confident he would finally seal the move. However, United believe Real went cold on the deal at around 7.30pm that evening.
When responding to Real’s 10-point statement that claimed United were culpable, the Old Trafford club said: “David’s documentation was returned by Real Madrid to Manchester United without the signatory page at 2232 BST.” This is understood to be irregular and De Gea accepts that when they had the chance to finally sign him Real decided against doing so.
The player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, was at Carrington, United’s training base, on Thursday to discuss the new contract. This is thought to be worth around £200,000 a week over five years, the same figure De Gea was offered last season. Due to his refusal to sign that contract, the Spaniard continues to earn around £40,000 a week, the sum he agreed when joining the club in the summer of 2011.
Louis van Gaal is due to face the media on Friday afternoon, when he may confirm De Gea is poised to sign a new contact and that he will start against Liverpool at Old Trafford on Saturday having not featured for United at all this season.
