Man Utd goalkeeper David de Gea will not be available for a reported £52m as per a release clause in his contract as the Red Devils look to fend off Real Madrid.
The Spanish international has established himself as one of the top shot-stoppers in Europe with his form since arriving at Old Trafford in 2011, and continues to play a fundamental role in their pursuit of success.
In turn, Jose Mourinho has no desire to see him leave the club, and according to The Daily Mail, United are in a strong position to keep Madrid at bay as there is no £52m buy-out clause in his contract.
As a result, it has led to the claim that it would take over double the £33m world-record transfer fee for a goalkeeper set by Gianluigi Buffon to prise him away from Old Trafford.
With two years remaining on his current contract, coupled with the fact that the Mail insist the 26-year-old is happy in Manchester, particularly after Mourinho replaced Louis van Gaal last summer, it seems rather unlikely that Madrid will have any success in trying to sign him.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll give up, as the only possible window of opportunity could arguably be if United fail to qualify for the Champions League again this season and if Madrid have the financial resources to make a stunning offer that the Premier League giants simply can’t refuse.
However, the report reiterates that De Gea is not considering his future and both he and his family are happy in Manchester which suggests that Madrid will be forced to look elsewhere for a replacement for Keylor Navas.
The Costa Rican international hasn’t been entirely convincing this season, and the Mail note that Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois and AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma remain top alternatives to De Gea.