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Man Utd transfer news: Jose Mourinho told David De Gea he was free to join Real Madrid
MANCHESTER UNITED boss Jose Mourinho told David De Gea he could join Real Madrid last year, reports say.
Manchester United boss Mourinho faces a fight to keep De Gea despite Real Madrid signing Thibaut Courtois from Chelsea.
Fresh reports coming out of Old Trafford suggest contract talks with the Spain international have sensationally broken down.
That means Manchester United face a fight to keep De Gea with Real, PSG and Barcelona likely to be linked given the ability the shot-stopper possesses.
Yet the Telegraph claim the 27-year-old was actually free to leave the club last year.
Back then, Real were still on the lookout for a new No 1.
They had failed to poach De Gea from United’s grasp in 2015 with a faulty fax machine famously stopping a transfer.
Real never seemed to renew their interest in the player, though.
Zinedine Zidane was happy with Keylor Navas and, this summer, they chose to raid Chelsea for Courtois instead.
The Telegraph say, however, that Mourinho was happy to let De Gea go.
The report claims the United boss was unwilling to block an exit for the Spain international.
But, despite that, the club received no offers for their No 1.
Meanwhile, speaking last month, De Gea expressed his happiness with life at Old Trafford.
The United star said: "I feel really loved at his club from the fans.
"I am really happy to play for this club, one of best clubs in world.
“So for me it's really good to be part of this club."
De Gea was part of United’s last title-winning team, helping them lift the prize back in 2013.