Balague: De Gea has yet to decide future

Spain international goalkeeper David de Gea has yet to agree a move to Real Madrid, but the Spanish giants are pursuing the Manchester United shot-stopper, according to football expert Guillem Balague.

De Gea, 24, is reportedly on the verge of exiting Old Trafford after United manager Louis van Gaal revealed the club have already lined up potential replacements for the 24-year-old goalkeeper.

At the moment, the bookmakers’ favourite to replace De Gea is Tottenham Hotspur’s Hugo Lloris, but Asmir Begovic, Jasper Cillessen, Petr Cech, and Tim Krul are also being linked with summer moves to Manchester.

“He is a target,” Balague confirmed on Sky Sports News HQ. “They have been saying it for a while.

“There have been agents of goalkeepers – the top goalkeepers in the world in some cases – who have gone to Real Madrid and said ‘how about our guy?’ and the answer from Real Madrid is ‘we want de Gea’.

“He has not committed himself as has been published in the Spanish media. He hasn’t signed anything with Real Madrid but he has got a decision to make.

“What is interesting is that in the past the presence of Casillas would have been an issue but I’ve got the impression that he has changed his mind on that and he actually doesn’t mind.

“He will accept the challenge if he goes to Real Madrid and if Casillas is there.”

That said, if De Gea opts to stay at United, he will increase his wages by five times!

“On the table, there is an offer from Manchester United which increases his wages by five times and he will not earn as much money at Real Madrid,” Balague said.

“The money is an issue but he also has to make a decision that also is to do with personal interests – his family is not there all the time and his girlfriend would love to be in Madrid more than in England.