Manchester United give up on De Gea as Real Madrid close in

are resigned to losing David de Gea to Real Madrid this summer and have given up on attempts to keep him at Old Trafford.

Sources have told Goal that United have accepted De Gea's desire to move to Madrid in the transfer window and are concentrating on negotiating the best possible deal for the Spaniard.

De Gea told United in early June that he would not sign the new £200,000-a-week contract offered by the club and informed them of his desire to move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

United, who expect De Gea to attend the club's first pre-season training session of the season on Monday, are playing hardball with Real Madrid and have demanded more than £30 million for the goalkeeper despite the fact that he has only one year remaining on his contract.



But behind closed doors senior club officials have told Goal that De Gea is certain to leave United, even if negotiations drag on until the end of the transfer window.

While United are serious about their interest in Sergio Ramos, they also recognise the bargaining value in their £28.6m bid for the Real Madrid defender, whom they believe wants to complete a switch to Old Trafford.

De Gea is eager to push through his transfer after being warned that the Spanish giants will move on to other targets if he does not make the switch this summer.

The 24-year-old has been identified in Madrid as the perfect long-term replacement for Iker Casillas as the club's first-choice goalkeeper.

Casillas has two years remaining on his Real Madrid contract but is expected to either drop to the bench or leave the club this summer.

A move to the Spanish giants would also boost De Gea's chances of replacing Casillas in the Spain national team ahead of the European Championship in France in 2016.

De Gea was named United's Players' Player of the Season and Fans' Player of the Season last term but the former Atletico Madrid man is also keen to return to Spain, where his popstar girlfriend is based.

United have been linked with the likes of Jasper Cillessen and Hugo Lloris as potential replacements in goal and manager Louis van Gaal claimed in May that he had already drawn up a list of targets.

"We shall already know who shall be the next goalkeeper," said the Dutchman. "We also have a list of goalkeepers who can replace him because we have to be organised always."

De Gea joined United from Atletico Madrid in 2011 for £17.8m and has made 175 appearances for the club in four seasons.