De Gea: Atleti deserved CL more

David de Gea insists he is not disappointed at seeing his move to Real Madrid collapse last summer as “Atletico deserved the Champions League more”.

De Gea was a fax away from swapping Manchester United for Madrid last summer after months of daily speculation, but Los Blancos failed to file their paperwork for the goalkeeper before the August 31 deadline.

“I’m not worried [about my future]. I have three more years [on my contract] at Manchester United, a club who have given me everything,” the former Atleti youngster told El Larguero.

“Besides, I’m not thinking about anything other than the national team. No-one from Real Madrid has called me.

“I'm used to the front-pages, but now I’m focused on the national team and starting the European Championship. I can’t think of anything else.

“I think Atleti eliminated some very difficult rivals [en route to the CL final], and they probably deserved [the CL] more than Real Madrid. I didn’t cry [when they lost], but I suffered from the outset.

“Atleti have suffered greatly in recent years, they haven’t had the luck they deserved, but they have to keep believing in themselves. I spent many years there.

“They’re a club of fighters. Atleti gave me everything and allowed me to play at European level, so I’ll always carry them in my heart.

“[On how he almost joined Atleti’s arch-rivals], I don’t know, it’s not something you think about, you just think about the present. In the end, it didn’t happen and that’s it.

“I came to United to win trophies; it’s true that we haven’t been at the level [United] deserve, but hopefully, with the change of Coach, United will return to the highest level.

“No [I’m not disappointed about my move to Madrid collapsing]. I’m already at a big club, who show me a lot of love every day.

“I’m very grateful to United, they’re a very big club and I’m very happy there.”

Tags David De Gea Manchester United
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