Jose Mourinho might believe that David de Gea “wants to stay” at Manchester United, but Thursday brings conflicting reports over the goalkeeper’s future.
First is a claim that United ‘are beginning to concede that they will lose’ the Spaniard. As a result, they ‘have identified several targets’. That’s just good business sense, folks.
Training with @adidasfootball and the best goalkeeper in the world @D_DeGea? ?⚽️ pic.twitter.com/VLopAARxVq
— Ander Herrera (@AnderHerrera) November 28, 2018
Jordan Pickford is one of the ‘options’ the club are ‘exploring’, but Everton would ‘expect a premium’ for a 24-year-old who only signed a new long-term deal in September. They ‘will want a significant increase’ on their initial £30m outlay, which seems fair.
Another De Gea alternative can be found at his former club in Jan Oblak. He would likely cost more, with Atletico Madrid trying to increase his current £87m release clause. But he’s bloody good, you know.
A third option is Keylor Navas, who was linked loosely to United all those years ago when a dodgy fax machine kept De Gea away from Real Madrid.
But it seems pretty nailed on that the 28-year-old is leaving this time around, with PSG his most likely destination.
Reports say De Gea is actually happy to stay at Old Trafford, providing they offer him £300,000 a week. So Pickford and Oblak can sod off.
The Daily Mail go even further, saying De Gea ‘is open to staying’ if he is offered a five-year contract on £350,000 a week. Having rejected a £275,000 a week deal, he ‘is keeping his options open’.
do not listen and keep showing what you really are, mate @D_DeGea!! ?pic.twitter.com/BWnVYNKJDE
— Tomas Mejías Osorio (@Tomas_Mejias) November 28, 2018
Basically, he wants pay parity with current top earner Alexis Sanchez. Which is completely fair, seeing as Sanchez isn’t playing and De Gea is far more important.