United in battle to keep De Gea
Club deny keeper has requested move to Real Fosu-Mensah adds to Mourinho’s injury crisis
Manchester United have insisted David De Gea has not asked to leave Old Trafford despite the club facing another battle of wills with Real Madrid over the Spain goalkeeper.
Real have identified De Gea as a leading transfer target this summer and are confident they can entice the Madrid-born goalkeeper two years after their bid to sign him collapsed in acrimony on transfer deadline day.
the Madrid-based sports newspaper and Real mouthpiece, claimed yesterday that De Gea had already agreed personal terms with the club and had informed United of his willingness to move to the Bernabéu this summer.
Senior sources both at Old Trafford and close to De Gea told
that the goalkeeper had not asked to leave. But while United say De Gea is not for sale, Mourinho is understood to be exploring other goalkeeping options in the event his hand is forced.
Real would have to pay between £50 million and £60 million to stand any chance of signing De Gea, but if he was to leave, it seems inconceivable that Mourinho would not use the situation to strengthen his prospects of signing Real striker Álvaro Morata.
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic likely to be out for the rest of the year with cruciate knee ligament damage and uncertain to play for United again, Mourinho has admitted his transfer plans have been changed and wants another striker in addition to longstanding target Antoine Griezmann, of Atlético Madrid.
Although United are leading the chase for Burnley defender Michael Keane, Mourinho is also a keen admirer of France centre-half, Raphaël Varane, whom he managed at Real.
Gary Neville, the former United defender, believes De Gea would be hard to replace. “If United were to lose De Gea, it would be a big problem,” he said. “It would not be easy to replace him. He’s right at the top level now. United have got to sort that issue out.”
United will be without eight senior players for tomorrow’s visit of Swansea City to Old Trafford, which prompted Mourinho to joke that he may be forced to play himself at centre-half. But Mourinho believes the club’s gruelling schedule and mounting personnel problems could be a “blessing” in terms of toughening up the squad.
United will be without Marouane Fellaini for the next three Premier League matches after his red card for headbutting Sergio Agüero in Thursday’s goalless draw away to Manchester City.
In an added blow, Timothy FosuMensah will be out for the rest of the season after suffering a suspected dislocated shoulder against City at a time when United are already without Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Marcos Rojo, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones because of injury. of United in fourth and leaves them on course to finish above their bitter local rivals for the fifth time in the past six seasons.
United could finish the season with three trophies to City’s none if they win the Europa League after victories in the Community Shield and League Cup.
But despite Pep Guardiola’s first season at City falling well below expectations, Touré believes the club have usurped United as the city’s top dogs.
Asked if City were now Manchester’s number one club, Touré said: “Yes, of course, all the time we finish above them in the season, it shows City are doing very well. We missed that last pass or goal. We need to improve our finishing to be honest. Credit to them. At the back they were very strong and my friend Eric Bailly was very good [for United].”