Manchester United have triggered the one-year option on David de Gea’s contract as talks continue over a new long-term deal.
The club had always intended on exercising the option, but it’s understood it has now been finalised.
De Gea has told United he wants to stay, despite protracted negotiations over new terms.
With Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain potential suitors, Ed Woodward knows he will have to make the Spaniard one of the biggest earners at Old Trafford and probably highest paid goalkeeper in history.
Even though club insiders remain confident De Gea has no burning desire to leave, it is likely to take a salary of around £300,000-a-week to end the uncertainty over his future.
The option buys United breathing room, tying De Gea to the club until 2020. But if no agreement can be reached before the summer, Woodward would have to seriously consider cashing in before enters his final 12 months.
There is confidence it will not reach that stage, Jose Mourinho saying this week: "He is a world-class player. He is the best goalkeeper in the world and, if our ambitions are to be a big club, to be a winning club, you need the best goalkeeper in the world - and you need also some other players the best in the world.
"In this case, we have the best goalkeeper in the world and I know that he wants to stay.
"I know that his agent is happy to do what the player wants and I also know that the board wants him to stay and they're working on that, so hopefully sooner or later they arrive into good conclusions."
