Manchester United prepare new deal for Real Madrid target

Manchester United are ready to hand David De Gea an improved contract in a bid to keep their No.1 goalkeeper away from Real Madrid this summer, reports Manchester Evening News.

De Gea has re-emerged as Madrid’s top transfer target this summer - two years after his failed move to the reigning European champions - but United aren’t ready to let go of one of their best players without a fight.

The Spain international still has two years left to run on the contract he signed shortly after his proposed move to Madrid fell through, but United want to extend De Gea’s stay at Old Trafford once again in a bid to put an early end to Madrid’s pursuit.

It remains to be seen whether a new contract would be enough to convince De Gea to turn down his dream move and United might even have to make the 26-year-old one of the club’s highest earners on £200,000-a-week.

Should De Gea show any sort of reluctance in committing his future to the Red Devils, United will demand Madrid pay in excess of the £32.6m Juventus shelled out to sign Gianluigi Buffon in 2001 – a transfer that still remains a record for a goalkeeper.

This season has not been one of De Gea’s best at United but only Hugo Lloris and Thibaut Courtois (both 15) has kept more clean sheets in the Premier League than the Spaniard (14).

For more stats on David De Gea, click here to visit his WhoScored player page