ANOTHER YEAR FOR DE GEA

UNITED have triggered the one-year option on David de Gea’s contract to extend his stay at the club until 2020.

The Spaniard’s deal was due to expire at the end of the season, but the Reds had the option of extending it by another 12 months and that was always going to prove a mere formality.

Attention now turns towards tying De Gea down beyond that. Last month, the M.E.N. reported that the 28-year-old’s camp were ‘optimistic’ he would sign a new deal with United after he was moved by fans’ support.

De Gea’s partner, Edurne, has recently relocated to Manchester and United have never been more confident of extending their No.1’s contract after long-time suitors Real Madrid completed the signing of Thibaut Courtois last summer.

The key now is proving to De Gea the club can still match his ambitions in his peak years – something Jose Mourinho alluded to after the keeper made another stunning save in United’s Champions League win against Young Boys on Tuesday night.

“He is a world-class player,” said the Reds boss.

“He is the best goalkeeper in the world and, if our ambitions are to be a big club, to be a winning club, you need the best goalkeeper in the world – and you need also some other players the best in the world. I know that his agent is happy to do what the player wants and I also know that the board wants him to stay and they’re working on that, so hopefully sooner or later they will arrive into good conclusions.”