Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea warms up before an International Champions Cup soccer match against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, in Chicago. PHOTO/AFP
MADRID, September 10- Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has ruled out the possibility of making a move to sign Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea in January.
The subsequent fallout over the failed transfer saw both clubs lay the blame at each other’s feet, with Real suggesting the inexperience of United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward played a part in the deal not beating the transfer deadline.
It had been suggested this week that Real could wait it out until the end of the season to secure the services of De Gea on a free transfer, but Perez says that is not the case.
He fully expects the Spaniard to pen a new deal at Old Trafford, to ensure he returns to United’s starting line-up and, in the process, retain his place in the Spain starting line-up.
“We will certainly not sign De Gea in January,” Perez told Cadena Cope. “Right now, we don’t contemplate this. We have three magnificent goalkeepers.”
Commenting on De Gea’s contract situation and his international career, Perez added: “The great players are never free. The ones that arrive for free and that are available are mediocre players.
“It’s difficult that a player will remain a year without playing. De Gea has to do what is best for his career.
“He, through his agent [Jorge Mendes], preferred not to renew and to come to Spain.
“We had to make an effort in order for the player not to feel abandoned. They [United] tried until the end to renew his deal and only decided to sell him 12 hours before [the transfer deadline].
“We had a commitment towards him, they [United] told us the cost [of the transfer] 12 hours before [the deadline] and the rest we’ve already spoken about.
“We did our job as best we could. We didn’t get there on time because Manchester did not have the necessary experience to undertake these things on the final day, as was the case with Fabio Coentrao.”
