There was no sprint to the finish line and De Gea will join up with Manchester United to start pre-season training today. The goalkeeper’s holiday ended yesterday and at 9:30 (CET) he will meet-up with Louis van Gaal at the Aon Training Centre in Carrington, the base of the Premier League club. It will give the Dutch coach the chance to chat with his player and start a fresh attempt to hold on to him. United want to make a fresh offer of a new contract. Another one…
De Gea has already said that there are not many offers from United that can be much more lucrative than what he imagines from Madrid. But both Van Gaal and Ed Woodward (the executive vice-chairman of the club) are reluctant to budge against Madrid. It is a matter of pride. The plan was to make De Gea the most expensive goalkeeper in history so they asked for €46 million (Buffon holds the record after Juventus paid €45 million for him). A kick to the bone of Madrid, who are clinging on to the fact that the player is out of contract in 2016. It is a tug of war in which United relented and lowered the price to €35 million, providing that Madrid agree to sell them Ramos…they will not do one deal without the other.
De Gea will travel to Manchester with the knowledge that his transfer could be drawn out. He had a few words for Cuatro outside his house on Sunday, saying: “I’m going to Manchester for the pre-season, I am very calm”. Earlier this month the goalkeeper put his house in Altrincham, where he has lived during his four years at United, up for rent.
Ramos, on holiday and waiting
Sergio Ramos will finish his holidays and is waiting on some news about his future, knowing that his departure, if it finally goes ahead, will depend on the arrival of De Gea. In his last public appearance last Saturday at a wedding in Seville, Ramos did not say if he would be staying in Madrid when he was asked on two occasions. The centre-back has already reached an agreement with the English club in which he will earn €55 million net over five seasons. Far from the €7.5 million per season offer from Madrid. Currently he earns €6 million and he has asked for €10 million with two years left to run on his current deal.
Manchester United have already submitted a formal offer for Ramos at the offices of the Bernabéu for €45 million. Madrid have rejected it and have valued the player at €90 million. They have never said Ramos is non-transferable. In putting a price on him, they have put the player on the market.
Florentino Pérez did not attend the meeting between Ramos and José Ángel Sánchez at Valdebebas on June 24. It was there that the defender asked the club to listen to offers for him. Florentino then called Ramos to tell him to think about his future during his holidays before talks would resume when he returns for pre-season training on Friday. But the reality is that Florentino and Ramos cannot put up with one another and the defender knows that if Real Madrid want De Gea, they will have to loosen the position for him.