Reports: David de Gea refusing new Manchester United contract 

What's the rumour?

Despite Jose Mourinho insisting that David De Gea is close to signing a new contract at Old Trafford, reports now have emerged that this isn't the case at all.

Writing for the Daily Record, journalist Duncan Castles claims, Manchester United number one is unhappy with the latest contract offered to him and is holding out for a price at par with club's top earners Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez.

In case you didn't know...

The Spaniard has been United's Player of the Year in four of the last five seasons and is widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world.

He, last extended his contract with United in 2015 and has less than a year to run on that deal, though United have the option to extend this by a further 12 months.

The heart of the matter

That Goalkeepers are cheap prospects in the transfer market is a thing of the past now. This summer's transfer business will testify to that. Alisson Becker and Kepa Arrizabalaga moved to the Premier League for a reported fee of £66 million and £72 million respectively.

So given the inflation in the market and de Gea's exceptional shot-stopping ability, his higher wage demands are as per expected lines but United hierarchy seems less interested.

Jose Mourinho has already made it clear in a recent interview that the player is expected to stay as a new contract is just around the corner.

"His [De Gea’s] valuation is zero because he is a Manchester United player who, as soon as possible, will sign a new contract.", Mourinho said.

“He likes it here, we love him, we want him to stay, he wants to stay, so when a player is not in the market the value is zero."

“A goalkeeper is a player and sometimes people forget that. A goalkeeper wins points and wins titles, so he is as important as another player."

However, if the aforementioned report is to be believed, United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is refusing to give in to de Gea's demands and is yet to table an offer that would seal the player's stay at the club.

Rumour rating/ Probability: 5/10

Daily Record is not the most credible source in sports reporting and therefore we suggest the readers take this news with a pinch of salt.

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What's next?

With Thibaut Courtois' move to Real Madrid, de Gea's passage to the Spanish capital is all but closed now, however, there are a handful of European clubs who, given a chance, wouldn't hesitate to splash big money for his services. Should United fail to reach his demands, we won't be surprised if the player forces a move away from Manchester next summer.