Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 7y

Ander Herrera: I'll 'do everything possible' to stop David De Gea leaving

Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera says he will "do everything possible" to keep David De Gea as a teammate, amid speculation that Real Madrid could return with a bid for the goalkeeper this summer.

Madrid failed to sign De Gea in 2014 with a fax malfunction infamously stopping a deal which had been agreed among all parties, with the former Atletico Madrid man soon afterwards penning a new contract with United to keep him there until 2019.

Sources close to the English club have told ESPN FC that they expect Madrid to make a new offer for De Gea in the coming weeks, although Blancos coach Zinedine Zidane reportedly has faith in his current No. 1 Keylor Navas.

Speaking in the mixed zone after United began their preseason tour of the United States with Saturday's 5-2 victory over LA Galaxy, Herrera said the speculation over De Gea's future was getting repetitive.

"Maybe I am a bit boring on this, but I always say the same," Herrera said. "David is one of the few keepers who give you points over the course of a season. I prefer to have him with me, so I will do everything possible to have him here."

United had looked close to signing Madrid's Alvaro Morata this summer, with Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho suggesting that they had only switched focus to successfully acquiring Romelu Lukaku from Everton because Blancos president Florentino Perez refused to budge on the asking price for the striker.

Herrera said that he had expected to have his Spain teammate Morata alongside him at Old Trafford, and it was "a pity" that a deal had not been done.

"I reached the point of seeing Morata as a teammate, he was very close [to joining United]," he said. "Even Real Madrid and Manchester United confirmed that there were negotiations. So of course I saw myself with him. I wish him the best, at Madrid or anywhere else. It is a pity he is not with us, but he is a top striker and will be a success wherever he is."

United playmaker Juan Mata also spoke from Los Angeles to Spanish radio show "Tiempo de Juego," and said it would be unlikely to see Morata and Lukaku both joining the club this summer.

"It looks difficult for Alvaro Morata to wear a United shirt with the arrival of Romelu," Mata said. "We have signed a big player for our forward line. So it is difficult. You never know until the end though. Things can happen in the last days of the market, but I wish Alvaro the best."

Asked what he thought would happen with De Gea this summer, the former Madrid youth player said there would be no movement.

"I believe [De Gea] is going to stay [at United]," Mata said. "He is going to stay."

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