Manchester United Agree £17.5m Deal to Sign Atletico Madrid Keeper David De Gea: Spanish Press Claim La Liga side Have Accepted Offer

Old Trafford club to seal signing of promising Spaniard.

Manchester United have reportedly agreed a deal with Atletico Madrid to sign young keeper David De Gea this summer, according to reports in the Spanish press today. Sir Alex Ferguson has sent scouts to monitor the talented 20 year as the Old Trafford side look to replace Edwin van der Sar who is set to hang up his gloves and retire from the game this summer.

Spanish publication Sport suggests that a deal has been agreed between the two sides that will see the Spanish Under 21 international join Manchester United for a fee of €20m (£17.5m) dependent on the Madrid born goalie agreeing personal terms with the Premier League table toppers.

De Gea has shown maturity beyond his years to become the first choice custodian at the Vicente Calderon and helped his side to clinch the Europa League in his first season at the club last term. Ferguson has been linked to a myriad of potential replacements for Van der Sar with the likes of Manuel Neuer, Hugo Lloris, Maarten Stekelenburg and Liverpool’s Pepe Reina often being mentioned as possible purchases.

Atletico Madrid are reportedly in something of a financial predicament that has led to much speculation that some of their top talents may be offloaded this summer with the likes of Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan linked with big money exits and the fact that Quique Sánchez Flores’s side are currently languishing in eight place and could miss out on European football altogether next term may force the club to sell to balance the books.

Manchester United brought in Anders Lindegaard as further back up and there has been much speculation that Tomasz Kuszczak will leave in the summer. Sir Alex Ferguson has been looking at bringing in top young talent to help build a new generation of players to mix with those coming through the youth ranks and the purchases of Javier Hernandez and Chris Smalling appear to have paid off and David De Gea is seen by many as an ideal long term replacement for Edwin Van der Sar.

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