It was an astonishing situation. Two of the biggest football clubs incapable of getting a transfer completed in time after roughly three months of negotiations.
Real Madrid went on the offensive first yesterday, blaming Manchester United for the collapse of the David De Gea deal. The Red Devils responded seven hours later.
Unsurprisingly, their version of events was dramatically different.
As is this take on Perez’s reaction to De Gea’s move falling through http://t.co/0Ysy4YHUUW https://t.co/9FuHjOq7Jq
— Sport360° (@Sport360) September 1, 2015
Conspiracy theories abound that either United deliberately sent the paperwork late to ensure they kept De Gea for the season or Madrid didn’t want to pay the £29 million (Dh163m) fee, knowing they’ll sign him for free next summer.
Certainly the latter is the most plausible. Quite what United have to gain by keeping an even more unhappy player, losing £29m in the process and embarrassing Madrid – a club a certain Gareth Bale plays for – and the world’s most powerful agent in Jorge Mendes, is hard to understand.
But while words are exchanged, Madrid mull over lodging an appeal which is, based on precedents, likely to be unsuccessful and the rest of the world laughs at the situation, the reality is that De Gea remains at Old Trafford and is a United player until June 2016.
It will now be a test of his character how he reacts to this unfortunate set of circumstances, as it was a transfer that appeared destined to happen even as the clock ticked towards midnight in Madrid on Monday night.
– RATE, SHARE and WIN with our ValoraFutbol tool
– Phil Ball: James & Sporting Gijon early sensations
– Nepal’s heroic footballers step back onto the pitch
You can envisage a scenario now where De Gea knows he will, barring a dramatic change of heart from Los Blancos, be in the Spanish capital next summer and decides to spend the remainder of his time in the north west of England training and not mentally committing to first-team activities.
However, Euro 2016 should ensure that doesn’t come to pass as De Gea has not yet usurped Iker Casillas as Spain No1.
With Sergios Rico and Asenjo also snapping at his heels, he knows he cannot afford a sustained period of inactivity.
A return to his form of last term will surely guarantee he lines up between the posts for La Roja next summer, but first he must get back in the team.
On merit, it shouldn’t be a problem as Sergio Romero has done little to display he is capable of taking over. Last Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Swansea was enough to show up his limitations.
But standing in De Gea’s way is a rather strong-willed Dutchman who hasn’t exactly been accomodating towards one of his star players these last few weeks.
Louis van Gaal has claimed that with the interest from Madrid, De Gea hasn’t been properly focused to play for United – the distraction proving too great.
The concern must now be he’s still not mentally fit to play, given De Gea’s dreams have turned to dust. Van Gaal, however, must simply do what’s best for Manchester United, which, in turn, is also what’s best for him. And that’s to get De Gea back into the starting XI as soon as possible.
Time away with the national team will clear the tension to an extent and De Gea can return determined to win his place back.
In the short term it makes sense for United, and in the long run a display of professionalism will reflect well on the 24-year-old.
It’s making the absolute best out of what has rapidly become a bad situation for both parties.
