The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
De Gea not distracted, insists boss Mourinho
Europa league: Manager says keeper is staying focused despite transfer talk
Jose Mourinho does not believe David De Gea has been distracted by renewed talk of a move to Real Madrid, with the Manchester United manager saying it would be irresponsible to be affected by transfer speculation.
The Portuguese’s first season in the Old Trafford hotseat is reaching a crucial juncture as the Community Shield and EFL Cup triumphs would lose their gloss should United again miss out on the Champions League.
Mourinho has not given up on a topfour finish and the Europa League offers another route back to European football’s top table, meaning Anderlecht can expect to face a strong side in tonight’s quarter-final first leg.
However, that line-up is set to feature back-up goalkeeper Sergio Romero instead of star turn De Gea, who missed Sunday’s win at Sunderland with a minor injury only to travel with the squad to Belgium.
Mourinho is said to have become concerned that increasing talk of a summer move to Real Madrid has seen his first-choice goalkeeper lose focus – reports put to the United manager in Brussels.
“I am not interested in the speculation,” he said.
“I think if the player is (effected by speculation), he shouldn’t (be) because we are playing for very important things and every match for us is crucial.
“In the Premier League, we lose a match and the top four gets almost impossible. If we lose in the Europe League, we are in trouble.
“Every match demands from every one of us total focus.
“I think I don’t see David with any problem related to this.
“End of the season is a time where players can be thinking about what is going to happen with their careers. But that is the end of the season.”
De Gea has been crowned United’s Player of the Year for the past three seasons, but was on the brink of joining Real Madrid in 2015.
The transfer collapsed acrimoniously on deadline day in Spain and speculation is set to bubble along over the coming weeks and months.
So, too, will questions over captain Wayne Rooney’s future.
The 31-year-old, United’s all-time top scorer, has fallen down the pecking order this term and injury has kept him out of the trip to Anderlecht.
“He is not happy with his condition,” Mourinho said of Rooney, who trained on the eve of the game in Manchester.
Juan Mata, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are also out of the first leg in Belgium, where Mourinho says United need to play at their “best level”.
The quarter-final encounters with Anderlecht bookend a mouth-watering Premier League clash against the Portuguese’s former club Chelsea, who are romping to the title after faltering so badly under his tutorship last season.
Mourinho insists there is no reason to play his reserves on Sunday given the top-four remains mathematically possible.
We are playing for very important things and every match for us is crucial. jose Mourinho