David de Gea came close to leaving Manchester United because of a rift with Louis van Gaal, according to the club's former goalkeeping coach Eric Steele.
The Spanish goalkeeper seemed destined to walk out on United at the end of Van Gaal's first season in 2015, with a move to Real Madrid seemingly all lined up and sealed.
However, a fax machine failure ensured that De Gea's move didn't beat the Spanish transfer deadline, and although he also came close to joining Real again two summers later, De Gea has ended up staying at Old Trafford ever since.
After much discussion, the goalkeeper even signed a new long-term deal at United last September, when he committed his future to the club until 2023.
However, things could have been different for De Gea according to Steele, who was Sir Alex Ferguson's goalkeeping coach when the Spaniard arrived in English football in 2011.
“When he was under Van Gaal we knew the reason why he wanted out – they did not get on, and it didn’t work," Steele, who also worked with Manchester City and Derby prior to taking up a role at the FA, told the i.
“He would have gone to Real Madrid if it wasn’t for what happened on transfer deadline day.
“He was not displeased with the fans or the club, but it was clearly something that had gone on behind the scenes.
"Now things are different. He has got a smile on his face, the club are improving and I cannot see why he would want to leave.”
De Gea has played in every one of United's Premier League matches both this season and in the entirety of the 2018/19 campaign, but could face competition for his No.1 shirt when Dean Henderson returns from his loan at Sheffield United in the summer.
