De Gea the great is irreplaceable
IF REAL MADRID are serious in their pursuit of Thibaut Courtois it can mean only one thing — they have given up trying to buy David de Gea. Courtois is good, but De Gea is great. He regularly saves his team and achieves levels of consistency beyond any rival. Courtois seems higher maintenance, too, frequently talking up his links to Madrid. ‘I do not think Florentino Perez will call me, but he will call my agent, who will listen to him,’ he said helpfully, after Chelsea’s draw with Barcelona. And while any transfer would be a setback for Chelsea, Courtois is replaceable. Right now, De Gea isn’t. If Manchester United are to continue moving forward, they really have to keep him at Old Trafford.