Man Utd to demand £70m for top star as Real Madrid come calling again

Real Madrid will reportedly attempt to once again lure Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea to the Bernabeu in the summer.

The La Liga giants have been chasing the Spain stopper for more than five years, having almost signed him in 2015 before a delay in the necessary paperwork prevented the move from taking place.

De Gea signed a new contract with the Red Devils back in September, but with his form dipping in recent weeks United may be willing to cash in at the end of the season.

And according to The Sun, United’s hierarchy would demand a fee of around £70m for the 29-year-old.

De Gea started his career at Real’s bitter rivals Atletico before making the move to Manchester in 2011 and has gone on to firmly establish himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

However, he has made a string of high-profile errors over the past year, including a woeful clearance that allowed Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin to score last weekend.

There have been calls in many quarters for on-loan keeper Dean Henderson to replace the Spaniard next season after impressing for Sheffield United.

It remains to be seen whether Madrid are willing to pay such a high asking price for de Gea, especially given the fact they splashed out £35m on their current first-choice Thibaut Courtois from Chelsea just two years ago.

 

 

Meanwhile, Dimitar Berbatov has admitted that Odion Ighalo is proving him wrong at Manchester United so far, praising him for his goalscoring, strength and technical ability.

Some eyebrows were raised when United brought Ighalo in on a short-term loan deal in January, given that they had been linked with the likes of Erling Braut Haaland instead, but the Nigerian striker is starting to settle in at Old Trafford.

The former Watford forward has now scored three goals for his new club, despite not making a Premier League start since his move – and ex-United striker Berbatov has admitted that Ighalo is impressing him. Read more…