David De Gea’s contract negotiations with Manchester United just took as bad turn as hi agent Jorge Mendes refused to commit the United goalkeeper to United beyond his current contract, which runs out in 18 months.
“David is amazing, he’s brilliant,” Mendes told Marca, when asked if he could envision the 24-year-old donning a Real Madrid shirt in the future. “He’s a Man United player and has a contract there. You have to respect that but things change every five minutes.”
The fact that Ronaldo used Marca, the de facto mouthpiece of Real Madrid has to have set off alarms inside Old Trafford. After a shaky start to his United career De Gea has developed into one of the best goalkeepers in the world and Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has expressed his belief the Spanish International will re-sign with his current team.
“I think so, yes,” Van Gaal said when asked whether De Gea’s long-term future was at United. “I think there is no problem for him to sign.
“When you are a [regular] player, then probably you are the best, and then the manager is very happy that a player that is fixed in the lineup will stay.”
But this is not a straightforward negotiation. Mendes is also the agent of Radamel Falcao and he is pissed off that United have not made that deal permanent yet. Plus he is Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent which means that he has a very close relationship with the Real Madrid board.
I don’t think it is a slam dunk that De Gea signs a new deal at United, which is why I believe they signed Victor Valdes. With Valdes United have a world class backup who will be fully fit by the time next season rolls around in case De Gea leaves in the summer.
The prospect of De Gea heading back to Spain also offers up the interesting prospective of Gareth Bale moving to Old Trafford in a blockbuster swap.
Do you think that De Gea will sign a new deal with United or is he heading to Real Madrid in the summer?
