Man Utd 'relaxed' as Real Madrid plot another De Gea raid
Goalkeeper is worth £60m and United will demand a Spanish superstar in return if he does want to leave
Manchester United and Real Madrid are gearing up for another battle over the future of goalkeeper David de Gea, with the Spanish club preparing a new offer for the player they nearly signed in 2015, reports the Daily Mail.
The two clubs play each other in the US on 23 July and Old Trafford insiders are convinced that a bid is "imminent".
United will demand a fee of £60m from Real if they are serious about signing De Gea, but the English side do not have to sell and are confident they can keep hold of their keeper.
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"De Gea, who has two years left on his current contract, is open to joining the back-to-back European champions but will not push for a move," says the Mail.
"De Gea is more settled at United under Jose Mourinho than he was when Louis van Gaal was in charge and enjoys a close relationship with goalkeeping coach Emilio Alvarez… United’s return to the Champions League is another factor that could persuade him to stay."
Against that backdrop United are "relaxed" about the situation, says The Independent. They even "have the option of suggesting a straight exchange for one of the Bernabeu’s proper stand-out stars like Toni Kroos - as has already been mooted".
After missing out to Chelsea on Tiemoue Bakayoko, United are confident of landing midfielder Ivan Perisic, says the Manchester Evening News. The paper claims that the "Croatian is already planning for life at Old Trafford and expects to join the club this summer - even though a fee has not yet been agreed".
The 28-year-old is "content" at Inter Milan, adds the paper, but "sees this summer as the chance to finally make the move to England after spells in France, Belgium, Germany and Italy".
He has also reportedly been "earmarked by Mourinho as the ideal signing to improve United's transitions and cutting edge on the break".
Man Utd transfer news: Real Madrid drop David de Gea
8 June
David de Gea will stay at Old Trafford after Real Madrid abruptly "called off their pursuit" of the Manchester United goalkeeper, according to reports in Spain.
The Daily Mail is one of several papers to pick up on the claim in sports paper Marca, which announced that the European champions have decided to give current first choice Keylor Navas another crack next season.
It had been widely assumed that Real would move for De Gea this summer but apparently they "are not prepared to pay the £65m" that United want for their Spanish gloveman.
After some shaky performances Navas improved as the season wore on, and in addition Real coach Zinedine Zidane now has his eye on AC Milan's Gianluigi Donnarumma. So if Navas struggles between the sticks next season, says Marca, then it's likely that Real will make a move for the 18-year-old Italian rather than the United stopper.
Meanwhile the Daily Star warns Wayne Rooney that he is "in danger of pricing himself out of an emotional return to Everton". The paper says that the United striker has accepted his days at Old Trafford are over, and although he has several offers on the table from China, his dream move would be a return to the club where it all started for him more than a decade and a half ago.
But according to the Star the Toffees "are not prepared to pay anything like the money he currently pockets at United" - said to be around £300,000-a-week - and unless he reaches a compromise then Rooney is likely to head to China after all, where he could earn around £400,000 each week.
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