It has been clear for some months now that David de Gea is on Sir Alex Ferguson’s shopping list. Rumours of offers for the goalkeeper would suggest he has been made the Scot’s number one target for the summer.
The reliable radio station Onda Cero reported this afternoon that agent Jorge Mendes had completed a €20m transfer of De Gea to Manchester United.
The news broke quickly and within hours Miguel Ángel Gil Marín contacted the radio station to deny the agreement.
“Mendes is in England, but not to negotiate a deal for De Gea,” said Atleti’s general manager – which only raises the question of why he knows exactly when and where the Portuguese super-agent resides.
Gil continued:”Mendes does not have the authority to act on behalf of the player.” This too is interesting considering recent rumours in Spain suggested De Gea was breaking with his agent Héctor Rincón.
“At the end of the season we will see if he wants to go or not. If he wants to leave, we’ll refer to his €25m buy-out clause. Until then we count on him to stay with us,” said Gil about the young Spaniard.
Later Miguel Ángel Gil appeared on the El Larguero programme from radio station Cadena SER, where he gave even more insight into the situation:
“We’ve received offers from United and Chelsea [for De Gea]. He also has an offer from us to renew his contract. We’d like him to stay, but David’s future is entirely in his own hands.”
The deciding vote looks as if it will be De Gea’s. Is he keen on moving to England, or will he prefer to stay in Madrid?
Meanwhile Spanish press have named Sporting Lisbon goalkeeper Rui Patricio and Valencia’s Vicente Guaita as possible replacements.