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Football

20th Feb 2018

José Mourinho is willing to sell David De Gea, but it hinges on one thing

Mourinho wants a midfielder in exchange

Reuben Pinder

Would this be a good deal?

 

It’s no secret that Real Madrid have tried to sign David De Gea in the past and they might get their man this summer.

The Spain international has developed into one of the best goalkeepers in the world in recent years and would be a significant upgrade on Keylor Navas.

According to Spanish newspaper Don BalonDe Gea has told his friends that Mourinho is willing to sell him, but would want Toni Kroos to be included in any deal.

Five years ago, when David Moyes took over as United boss, he had a deal wrapped up for the German midfielder who, at the time, had just won the Champions League with Bayern Munich. Alas, the deal fell through.

He ended up staying at Bayern for one more season, before moving to Real Madrid after winning the World Cup with Germany. The midfielder’s next move could take him Old Trafford in the summer, but it could depend on one of United’s most important players going the other way.

Swap deals rarely happen in modern football, due to the vast number of complex details that must be agreed upon by multiple parties, although we did see a player plus cash deal in January as Alexis Sánchez went from Arsenal to United with Henrikh Mkhitaryan going the other way.

Kroos could help United address the lack of balance in their midfield, playing in the number 8 role, between Nemanja Matić and Paul Pogba, who would be granted more freedom that he so famously needs for United to get the best out of him.