Manchester United want world-record £35m for David de Gea

Manchester United demand a world-record fee for a goalkeeper from Real Madrid for David de Gea.

Old Trafford officials are not concerned by the fact the Spaniard, 24, only has a year left on his contract and can leave for nothing next summer.


They believe the value of keeping De Gea for another year far outweighs any bid below the £32.6m Juventus paid Parma for Gianluigi Buffon in 2001.

And they are looking for a fee of around £35m before they will entertain the idea of allowing the former Atletico Madrid man to leave.

De Gea joined the club for £17.8m in 2011 and has been heavily linked with a return to his home city.

Real are expected to go in with a first offer as low as £13m.

A source told Sportsmail: 'The fees that have been mentioned are a long way short. David is a world-class goalkeeper who played a huge role in ensuring we qualified for the Champions League last season - that in itself was worth around £50m to the club.

'The year left on the contract does not make a big difference. What is the worst that can happen? If he stays we get to keep one of the best goalkeepers in the world for another year and that in itself is worth more than some of the fees mentioned.

'It would take a world-record bid for a goalkeeper to take him away.'

De Gea has a £200,000-a-week contract on the table at Old Trafford and Louis van Gaal is keen to keep him - although the manager is prepared should he leave.

Ajax's Jasper Cillessen, who played for Van Gaal at the World Cup and Spurs' Hugo Lloris are both on a list of potential replacements.

Credit: Mike Keegan/SportsMail