David de Gea to Manchester United: Transfer Update

The deal that has happened…



David de Gea

David de Gea is at last a Manchester United player after his move to the English champions on a five-year contract was finalised today.

The Spanish under-21 goalkeeper becomes Sir Alex Ferguson’s third signing in the close season following the arrivals of Phil Jones and Ashley Young.

“I feel very proud and I can’t wait to start playing here,” De Gea told MUTV. “When a club the size of Manchester United comes in for you it obviously makes you very, very happy. I saw their interest as an extra motivation to work even harder to show off my ability. It’s a great privilege to be part of a club like United and I'm keen to do my best and show what I can do.”

The former Atletico Madrid goalkeeper has been hand-picked as the man to succeed the legendary Edwin van der Sar and will jump straight to the top of the pecking order ahead of Anders Lindegaard, who only arrived at United in December, and Tomasz Kuszczak who could be allowed to leave the club in search of first-team action.

United are still hoping to land one more signing to fill the void left by the retirement of Paul Scholes and Tottenham’s Luka Modric, Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder and Arsenal’s Samir Nasri have all been touted as the men to fill the playmaker role at Old Trafford.

The one that’s likely to happen…



Cesc Fabregas

With each passing day it seems more likely Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will leave the Emirates and today it’s even more so thanks to Barcelona’s new and improved £35 million bid for Fabregas.

Arsenal have already rejected a £27 million bid from Barca for the inspirational but apparently want-away midfielder.

Fabregas is currently in his hometown Barcelona on holiday and is said to prefer not to have to return for pre-season training at Arsenal next Tuesday. The Gunners are due to depart for a mini-tour of Malaysia and China next week Sunday.

Fabregas was also left out of Arsenal’s promotions of the club’s change strip for the 2011/12 season.

It is for these reasons that there is a sense the Fabregas transfer saga is finally drawing to a close and why the European and Spanish champions expect to complete a deal by next week at the latest.

The transfer that won’t happen...

Alexis Sanchez

The transfer that definitely won’t be happening is the move of Alexis Sanchez to Manchester City after City pulled out of the bidding for the Chile international.

Sanchez has repeatedly stated his desire to secure a move to Barcelona and has reportedly insisted its either he joins Lionel Messi and co or he stays with Udinese. So Man City’s manager Roberto Mancini has conceded defeat. “I have spoken to Sánchez. He said he was open to the idea of coming to City but then we have pulled out,” Mancini told Sky Italia. “After our last offer, we are out of the race to acquire the Chilean player.”

Gino Pozzo, the son of the Udinese owner Giampaolo Pozzo, also confirmed that 22-year-old Sanchez would prefer a move to La Liga rather than England.

“The will of the player is to go to Barcelona. The negotiations with the Catalan club are going forward. With calmness, we will find a solution. We will speak to Barca and we will see,” Pozzo told Italian publication Corriere dello Sport.

Sanchez is reportedly valued at £45 million.