Manchester United are demanding £35 million for Real Madrid target David De Gea, reports the Daily Mail.
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The Red Devils are playing hardball for the 24-year-old, and aren’t worried about losing him on a free next summer. With Sky Sports revealing last January that United are the second-richest club in the world, second only to Real, they are likely able to absorb missing out on a fee for their goalkeeper.
However, their heads could still be turned by a word-record fee according to the Mail. Gianluigi Buffon is currently the most expensive goalkeeper ever, with Juventus paying Parma £32.6 million for him back in 2001. United are willing to listen to offers around £35 million, far more than the £13 million that Los Blancos are expected to bid first up.
With the club back in the Champions League and expected to perform better in the Premier League next season, it may be worth keeping De Gea around for the campaign in order to ease the transition. The stopper was one of their most important players last time round, and losing him would likely make manager Louis van Gaal’s job much harder while competing on four fronts over the next 12 months.
Even so, the Dutchman does seem to have planned for life without the former Atletico Madrid man as well.
The Metro has linked Tottenham star Hugo Lloris and the Daily Star Ajax ace Jasper Cillessen to Old Trafford. Neither has the pedigree of the man they would potentially replace, but either could grow in to the role if signed.