De Gea-Madrid a ‘done deal’

Real Madrid have agreed terms with David de Gea and now only need to settle on a fee with Manchester United, according to Marca.

The goalkeeper has long been linked with Los Blancos, despite his Atletico Madrid past, and the newspaper claims it is a “done deal” as President Florentino Perez made the signing of a new No 1 a priority.

De Gea’s contract expires next summer, and it is understood that he has rejected several lucrative offers of a renewal, the last of which came in at €7.5m per season, in order to focus on securing a move to Madrid.

Marca adds that super-agent Jorge Mendes has once again played a key role in making the deal happen as a result of his “special relationship” with both sets of owners.

Despite denials from Sky Sports News that personal terms have not yet been agreed, United appear resigned to losing the 24-year-old and are set to demand at least €40m in return.

Such a fee should not deter the recently-dethroned European champions – they happily shelled out €35m for Danilo, even though the right-back’s contract with Porto only had a year left.

The Spaniard will reportedly pen to paper on a contract of at least five years at the Santiago Bernabeu, although financial details remain undisclosed.

United boss Louis van Gaal admitted on Friday that his club had already drawn up a list of potential replacements for De Gea, who joined the Red Devils from Atleti in 2011.

“We have a list of goalkeepers who can replace him because we have to be organised always," he was quoted as saying at his weekly Press conference by BBC Sport.

“We want him to stay and I hope he shall sign. You have three parties [involved] and the most important party is always the player.

“It’s dependable not of Manchester United, not of me, because we want him to sign. He has to sign, he has to want to stay here at Manchester United. I don't know [why he hasn’t decided].

“[On speculation the club could move for Gareth Bale with the De Gea funds], I have seen that I buy everyone in the world but it’s not like that.”

Tags David De Gea Jorge Mendes Manchester United Transfers
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