UNITED IN MOVE TO KEEP DE GEA

MANCHESTER UNITED are ready to trigger the one-year extension on David De Gea’s contract as they try to persuade the Spain goalkeeper to sign a new deal at Old Trafford. De Gea has 17 months left on the four-year contract he signed in the wake of a collapsed transfer to Real Madrid in 2015. However, United included a 12-month option in the terms and are set to activate it next season as United chief Ed Woodward opens talks with De Gea’s agent Jorge Mendes over the player’s future. Real continue to covet the 27-year-old but United boss Jose Mourinho is determined to hold on to him. ‘David is to keep, any one of you would say the same,’ said Mourinho. ‘Obviously we are going to try. Mr Woodward is not on holiday — he barely has holidays — and of course he’s going to try to give him a contract that keeps him here for much longer than the option we are going to execute.’