David de Gea on verge of joining Real Madrid from Manchester United

David de Gea’s transfer to Real Madrid is nearing completion after Manchester United blinked first in the staring contest and agreed to drop their valuation for a cash-plus-player exchange involving Keylor Navas, the back-up goalkeeper at the Bernabéu. Anthony Martial leaves France squad to join Manchester United for £36m Read more United had wanted a fee in the region of £35m to make De Gea the most expensive goalkeeper in history but instead have been negotiating a £29.3m package that will see Navas moving to Old Trafford to challenge Sergio Romero for the right to be De Gea’s replacement. Reports in Spain have indicated Madrid may not even be paying that much initially and, after a summer-long standoff, the deal represents a climbdown on United’s part, having insisted they wanted a fee in excess of Gianluigi Buffon’s record £32.6m move from Parma to Juventus. Madrid have waited until the final few hours before the Spanish transfer deadline to make their move and United have decided to take the money rather than keep De Gea against his wishes and lose him for nothing when his contract expires at the end of the next season. United are expected to complete the signing of Anthony Martial from Monaco before the English window closes on Tuesday and have agreed to loan Adnan Januzaj to Borussia Dortmund until the end of this season.