David de Gea is Manchester United’s contract priority after Anthony Martial agreed a new five-year deal at Old Trafford.
Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward is determined to get De Gea’s future resolved before a permanent successor to Jose Mourinho is appointed.
The Spain No1 has already had his one-year option triggered as talks have stalled – but Woodward is desperate to avoid heading into next season without an agreement in place.
United are facing up to the prospect of making De Gea the highest paid goalkeeper in the world on more than £300,000-a-week.
Woodward is preparing for a summer of major upheaval with the appointment a new permanent manager and a director of football.
Which is why he is so eager to resolve the major contract issues hanging over the club.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s outstanding start as interim manager has settled United down after the turbulence of Mourinho’s final months in charge. But the Norwegian is not guaranteed to get the job on a full time basis, with Mauricio Pochettino the long-standing favourite among United’s hierarchy.
No matter who is appointed Mourinho’s successor, focus in the summer will be on bringing in players capable of turning United into genuine Premier League title challengers, with Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly their top defensive target.
Woodward does not want to saddle the new manager with uncertainty hanging over the future of one of his most important players in De Gea.
