Guillem Balague: De Gea May Leave Man. United

David de Gea will extend his contract at Manchester United, but that is no guarantee the goalkeeper will remain at Old Trafford in the long term, says Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.

De Gea, 24, has been heavily linked with European champions Real Madrid in recent weeks, speculation that has only intensified following United’s free transfer capture of former Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes last month.

However, while Balague believes De Gea will renew his current deal at United, which expires in the summer of 2016, he feels the Spain international may ultimately end up at the Santiago Bernabeu though.

“He is negotiating a new deal with Manchester United and that seems to be the priority now,” said Balague.

“So I think he will sign a new contract and become the best-paid goalkeeper in the world, ahead of [Madrid’s Iker] Casillas perhaps.

“But that does not mean he will stay at Manchester United though, because it is quite clear that both Valdes and De Gea’s finish their contracts at the same time in a year and a half.

“And it is very clear that Real Madrid want De Gea. Now the problem is that Real Madrid will have to convince Manchester United to sell, and that is the second part of the story.”

Credit: Skysports.com