MANCHESTER United manager Alex Ferguson is set to push his summer spending close to £50million later this week when he completes the signing of goalkeeper David de Gea.
With United having opened negotiations with the Spanish club some weeks ago, it was only the highly-rated 20-year-old’s involvement in that tournament which held up the deal.
But with no problems expected with his medical De Gea is likely to complete his move, reported to be worth around £17million, in the next few days.
He will be the third new recruit at Old Trafford this month, following the arrival of Blackburn’s England Under-21 international Phil Jones and Aston Villa winger Ashley Young.
Ferguson hopes De Gea will be the long-term successor to Edwin van der Sar, who retired at the age of 40 at the end of last season. The arrival of De Gea, aged just 20, adds instant quality with the promise of the realisation of greater potential.
Such is the Spaniard’s reputation that compatriot and Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina, who seems likely to face De Gea when the north-west rivals clash at Anfield on October 15, reacted positively.
“I very much welcome this news because David is a great keeper,” he said.
“When it becomes official he is going to start working to prove in the Premier League what a good goalkeeper he is.”
Following the retirements of Van der Sar, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville from last season Ferguson has moved quickly to strengthen in three areas, bringing in players who all should have their best years ahead of them.