Sports
David De Gea to pen huge £200k a week deal
David De Gea will sign a new £200,000-a- week contract with Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho praising the Spaniard and his agent for not creating a “war” over his future.
With Paul Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola in conflict with Mourinho over the Frenchman’s troubles at Old Trafford, the United boss made a point of saluting De Gea and his agent Jorge Mendes.
That’s for handling a situation that never escalated into a stand-off despite persistent Real Madrid pressure.
De Gea is on the brink of a new long-term deal with United delighted they rebuffed repeated Madrid attempts to land the Spain keeper before eventually giving up this summer and signing Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois.
Mourinho said: “David is a Manchester United player, he will sign a new contract as soon as possible, he likes it here.
“We love him, we want him to stay. He wants to stay.
“I think it was a collective situation involving the player, the agent and Manchester United. The agent didn’t create a war to try to achieve his objectives.
“He respected the club. He respected the player. The player was always keen to stay and happy to stay.
“The club understood how important he was and was always trying to give him the conditions to make him happy, so credit to all three.”
The world record transfer fee for a keeper was broken twice this summr with Chelsea paying Athltico Bilbao £71.6 million for Kepa Arrizabalaga after Liverpool had paid Roma £67million for Brazilian Alisson.
Mourinho admits he wouldn’t swap De Gea for anyone – but was coy about putting a value on the 27-year-old who is rated the best in the world.
Asked what De Gea is worth Mourinho said: “Zero. Because when a player is not in the market, his value is zero.
“Is David the best in the world? My goalkeeper is always the best goalkeeper in the world. I said that to my goalkeeper when I was coaching Uniao Leiria, a small club in Portugal.
“My goalkeeper is always the best in the world, but you understand what I mean. I don’t want to be called disrespectful or arrogant and say that Courtois is not good or Manuel Neuer is not good. There are so many.”
De Gea’s mistake against Portugal in the World Cup when he allowed a Cristiano Ronaldo shot to evade his grasp led to criticism for the Spanish star.
But Mourinho defended him saying: “David played four matches in the World Cup and he made one mistake. With that mistake, his team didn’t lose. He made that error against Portugal for one of Cristiano’s goals.
“It was a technical mistake, but Spain equalised. They drew that game, won the next and drew the next and finished first in the group.
“Then they played Russia in the fourth game. They drew and lost on penalties. So for four matches and 390 minutes, David De Gea made one mistake and his team was not even punished by that mistake.
“All the other guys because they play for Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, they were protected.
“But David knew perfectly he was not responsible for Spain being knocked out. He came back normal and in the States, he started working absolutely normal and here we have David.”
Real Madrid produced a spectacular comeback against Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League final with Joselu striking twice late on, earning them a 2-1 win on Wednesday to progress 4-3 on aggregate.
Alphonso Davies smashed the visiting German giants ahead in the second half but record 14-time winners Madrid produced a sensational comeback with Joselu netting in the 88th and 91st minutes.
Bayern Munich’s Canadian midfielder #19 Alphonso Davies scores his team’s first goal in spite of Real Madrid’s Ukrainian goalkeeper #13 Andriy Lunin during the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 8, 2024. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)
Spanish champions Real Madrid face another German side, Borussia Dortmund, in the Wembley final on June 1, after they stunned the team they call their “black beast”.
Squad player Joselu, on as a late substitute, wrote his name in Madrid’s history books with his last-gasp brace.
Bayern Munich’s English forward #09 Harry Kane reacts to their defeat after the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 8, 2024. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)
“There have been a lot of times we have looked dead and buried, but we have that mentality of never say die,” said Real midfielder Jude Bellingham.
“Joselu deserves it all, he has been an amazing squad member this season.”
Madrid had enjoyed the better of the match but it seemed Davies’ superb strike had set up a repeat of the 2013 all-German final in London.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel made three changes from the first leg, benching veteran Thomas Mueller and Leon Goretzka.
Dani Carvajal started for Madrid after missing the first leg suspended and was heavily involved as the hosts dominated the opening stages.
Real Madrid players celebrate their second goal scored by Real Madrid’s Spanish forward #14 Joselu during the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 8, 2024. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)
Rodrygo Goes was inches away from converting Carvajal’s low cross and the Spain defender then cleverly set up Vinicius Junior with a pass nutmegging a defender, and Manuel Neuer tipped the Brazilian’s shot against the post.
The rebound fell to Rodrygo but his effort was weak and with a desperate arm Neuer was able to claw it out to complete a fine double save.
Bayern’s Serge Gnabry limped off injured with Davies replacing him before Harry Kane’s first flash of danger.
Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin was alert to push the England captain’s vicious long-range volley around the post.
Neuer palmed away a Vinicius free-kick as the teams ended a high-intensity, relentlessly frantic first half level.
The second period was just as fraught, with Davies’ cross deflecting onto the roof of Lunin’s goal.
Vinicius was unplayable down Madrid’s left and Rodrygo prodded his low cross agonisingly wide of the far post.
The 38-year-old Neuer made superb saves to deny both Brazilian forwards again before the hour mark as Madrid controlled the game and ratcheted up the pressure.
However just as in Munich, when Los Blancos were at their strongest, Bayern pounced.
Kane fed Davies and the Canada international cut inside from the left and smashed a shot beyond Lunin into the far top corner after 68 minutes.
Madrid thought they had levelled moments later through Nacho but after a VAR review the strike was ruled out as the defender had grabbed Joshua Kimmich’s face before shooting.
Tuchel took off Kane in the final stages to try and hold on to victory but it slipped through his fingers as Madrid produced more indelible European memories.
Neuer, who had been sublime to this point, fumbled what appeared a simple Vinicius strike and Joselu gratefully bundled home from close range.
With Bayern reeling Madrid struck again, decisively. It was Joselu once more, the striker on loan from second division side Espanyol, turning home after Antonio Rudiger cut the ball back to him.
The goal was ruled offside but officials overturned the decision after review, and after nearly 15 minutes of stoppage time, Madrid earned the chance to go for their 15th Champions League trophy.
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