Excellent heel-digging by Louis van Gaal.
David de Gea is preparing for his first pre-season game of the summer, in the USA, with Manchester United. That does not, by any means, imply that he will be United’s No.1 come the close of the transfer window but, for Red Devils fans, it is an encouraging sign.
Van Gaal appears to have convinced the Spanish goalkeeper that he should stay and play Champions League football with a revamped, reinvigorated United before becoming a free agent next summer. When that time arrives, he is free to decide his future.
Real Madrid, his long-time suitors, appear to have caught the hint. They will continue to sound out de Gea’s people but their recent pursuit of Kiko Casilla would suggest a clear Plan B.
Thrown into that plan is a signing-on bonus of €5m for de Gea should he leave United next summer. [Marca]
BUT…
Gianluca di Marzio, one of the first reporters to link Matteo Darmian to United, has now claimed the Premier League club are going to bring in Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero.
Romro is a free agent and aged 28. Having played in last year’s World Cup final and this summer’s Copa America decider, he would be expecting a first-team role.
In non-goalkeeper related transfer news, Paris Saint Germain are expected to open their loading bay for Angel di Maria this weekend. PSG are going to shell out £43m for the United winger and pray that his season in Manchester was one massive blip. [L’Equipe]
Liverpool are still refusing to pay the £32.5m release clause for Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke [The Mirror] but are tempted to splash out £10m for highly-rated Fulham striker Patrick Roberts. The 18-year-old is also attracting attention from Manchester City… those Sterling-buying charlatans. [The Sun]
Patrick ‘Pocket Rocket’ Roberts.The agent of Valencia and Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi has touched down in Europe and, following a parlay with his client, will fly to Manchester to see which of the local clubs [not Stockport] will shell out the most for him. [AS]
Gary Monk does not want Spainish forward, and Fantasy Football favourite, Michu back at Swansea. The Swans boss was not pleased with Michu bogging off to Napoli last season and now considers him damaged goods. [South Wales Evening Post]
Arsenal are set to offload Joel Campbell to David Moyes’ Real Sociedad [Daily Mirror] but are definitely not selling Mesut Ozil [Sky Sports].
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