Source: Daily_Mail
Manchester United to sign David De Gea
EXCLUSIVEManchester United have agreed a ?17.8million deal for Atletico Madrid goalkeeper David De Gea.[LNB]Sportsmail revealed last month that Sir Alex Ferguson had identified the 20-year-old as the replacement for Edwin van der Sar and the clubs have now reached an agreement which will see De Gea sign a five-year deal at Old Trafford.[LNB]We told you so! Read how Sportsmail broke the news of United's interest in De Gea[LNB]De Gea's tip for the top... Pete Jenson revealed De Gea's likely switch in December[LNB]In demand: De Gea (left) has been linked with several clubs after shining for Atletico[LNB] De Gea narrowly missed out on a place in Spain's World Cup squadlast summer but is considered the long-term replacement for current No1 Iker Casillas[LNB]Atletico Madrid chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin claimed on Tuesday night that both Manchester United and Chelsea have made offers for the young keeper.[LNB]Gil Marin told Spanish radio station Cadena SER: 'We've received offers from both United and Chelsea, while he also has an offer from us to renew his deal.[LNB]'We'd like him to stay here, but David's future is entirely in his own hands.'[LNB]Ferguson does not want to repeat the mistakes he made when Peter Schmeichel left the club in 1999.[LNB] Flying Dutchman: Ferguson wants a ready-made replacement for retiring veteran Edwin van der Sar[LNB]Until Van der Sar arrived from Fulham in 2005 for ?2m, United had failed to find a suitable successor for the Great Dane with a succession of failures lining up between the posts.[LNB]Mark Bosnich, Massimmo Taibi, Fabien Barthez, Roy Carroll, Ricardo and Tim Howard all tried but ultimately failed to provide a long-term solution for Ferguson before he turned to the Dutchman.[LNB]United are aware that paying so much for such a young player like De Gea is a huge gamble but they are convinced by the 6ft 3in star's quality and have chosen him ahead of Schalke's Manuel Neuer, Inter Milan's Julio Cesar and Ajax's Maarten Stekelenburg.[LNB] Sir Alex targets Atletico keeper De Gea as ?15m replacement for Van der SarDe Gea will cost Man United at least ?18m as Atletico stand firm over keeperDe Gea and Rodwell top shopping list as Fergie eyes three signingsAll the latest Manchester United news, features and opinion [LNB] Explore more:People: Alex Ferguson, Edwin Van Der Sar, Mark Bosnich Places: Manchester, Spain
