David de Gea to stay at Man Utd as Real Madrid are forced into transfer decision

Posted Friday, June 28, 2019 by Express.co.uk

DAVID DE GEA is expected to stay at Manchester United after the club showed no interest in signing Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas, according to Spanish reports.

Real were willing to sell Navas this summer with the Costa Rican only having one year left on his Bernabeu contract.

Last season, the 32-year-old played second-fiddle to Thibaut Courtois, who was bought for £31.5million from Chelsea in the summer.

Although Courtois failed to live up to expectations, Zinedine Zidane decided to keep faith in the Belgian.

As opposed to letting Navas leave for free in 2020, Los Blancos were willing to sound out interested clubs but there was a dearth, report Spanish newspaper AS.

United were going to sign Navas as part of a swap deal for De Gea in 2015 but the deal broke down on deadline day due to paperwork complications.

The Old Trafford club no longer have an interest, however, instead focusing their attention on De Gea, who similarly has one year remaining on his deal.

The Spanish shot-stopper experienced his worst campaign in a United shirt last season, making four errors leading to goals in the Premier League when he’d made six in the preceding seven seasons.

David de Gea to stay at Man Utd as Real Madrid are forced into transfer decision
David de Gea will stay at Man Utd despite long-term links at Real Madrid (Image: Getty)

David de Gea to stay at Man Utd as Real Madrid are forced into transfer decision
David de Gea looked sombre as he clapped Man Utd fans at the end of the season (Image: Getty)

The 28-year-old is campaigning for a substantial pay hike, however, using Alexis Sanchez’s stunning £500,000-a-week deal as a negotiating tool.

De Gea currently takes home £200,000 a week but wants his wage to rival the Chilean’s.

United tabled overtures worth £300,000 a week in the New Year, according to The Sun, but the spindly keeper has kept his options open.

Old Trafford chiefs have now ostensibly offered the four-time Player of the Year a £350,000-a-week contract in another attempt to pin him down.

David de Gea to stay at Man Utd as Real Madrid are forced into transfer decision
Keylor Navas was not wanted by Man Utd or PSG (Image: Getty)

Signing above the dotted line would commit De Gea to United for four years, with the club wielding a one-year extension option.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revitalised the side when he first arrived, with De Gea lauding his manager after a virtuosic performance in a 1-0 away win against Tottenham in January.

He feels Solskjaer can bring back the emblematic characteristics of United which have faded since Ferguson retired in 2013, but may see out the summer and appraise the side’s summer business before signing an extension.