Victor Valdes unsure over David de Gea decision

Alam Khan - Reporter 09:45 19/05/2015
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  • Valdes (l) is ready to replace De Gea if he leaves.

    Victor Valdes says Manchester United are one of the three biggest clubs in the world, and the Spanish keeper is unsure if his compatriot and Old Trafford team-mate David De Gea will be swayed by a return to his homeland to join another, in the shape of Real Madrid.

    De Gea went off with a hamstring injury in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal, in what is expected to be his 175th and final appearance for the club having joined from Atletico Madrid in 2011.

    With a year left on his contract and yet to agree a lucrative new deal with United, Real are keen to make the 24-year-old the long-term successor to Iker Casillas.

    “I don’t know [if he is leaving],” said Valdes, who spent 12 successful years at Barcelona before signing for United on an 18-month deal in January. “Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester United are three of the biggest clubs in the world. Everyone in the world wants to play for these clubs. It’s a question you would have to put to David. I cannot answer for him.”

    Valdes is now in line to start in Sunday’s final game at Hull and has no regrets about joining United despite his first-team opportunities limited to the sub appearance against Arsenal.

    “It’s been good, all good,” said the 33-year-old.

    “My team-mates have treated me well here. The coach has treated me well. The truth is that it has all been good.

    “I am very happy to be here. I have one more year on my contract here, let’s see what happens.”

    United are likely to wait until the end of the season before pushing De Gea to make a decision so they can bring in another top-class keeper ahead of the new campaign and a prospective Champions League qualifier.

    With Memphis Depay undergoing a medical last night ahead of his summer move from PSV Eindhoven, boss Louis van Gaal will also wait on making a decision on striker Radamel Falcao, who has struggled since his August arrival on loan from Monaco.

    Falcao has four goals in 29 games with his last coming on January 31 against Leicester.

    Defender Chris Smalling, though, reckons the Colombian can come good again.

    “I think when the manager has given him a chance and he’s trained well and he’s stayed fit, you can see he is getting sharper and sharper and with a good pre-season he’ll be firing again next season,” he said. 

    “I think with his record, he’s a marked man. He does get kicked a lot in every game and it’s because of what he’s done in the game.

    “He’s had a couple of injuries on the way, and with every player that means you don’t get the consistency of being able to train every week. It affects your flow, especially with strikers who need a run of goals to set them off.”

    Smalling, captain against the Gunners in the absence of Wayne Rooney, admits it has been a testing season for the players, but fourth place won’t be enough to satisfy fans next season.

    “No, it’s not,” he added. “It’s not [been a season] where we’re massively celebrating, it’s a step.

    “Next season we know that won’t be good enough and our fans at the end [of the Arsenal game] were terrific. Hopefully next season we’ll be having a parade with something to really cheer about.

    “I think as the season’s gone on, we’ve got better, but Chelsea’s consistency from day one has won them the title.”

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