The Red Devils boss has revealed the Spaniard does not want to play against Aston Villa on Friday amid ongoing speculation of a move to Real MadridReal Madrid target David de Gea appears to have edged closer to an Old Trafford exit after Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal revealed the unsettled goalkeeper does not want to play while his future remains unclear.
Goal revealed in July that United were resigned to losing De Gea after the Spain international informed them that he wants to join Madrid this summer and the 24-year-old missed Saturday’s 1-0 win over Tottenham, with Van Gaal claiming his goalkeeper lacked the necessary focus.
Summer signing Sergio Romero kept a clean sheet in De Gea’s absence and Van Gaal has now revealed for the first time that the Spaniard has explicitly told United staff he does not want to play for the club.
“We talked with him [De Gea] and he fully agreed with our decision,” Van Gaal told reporters.
“I have one assistant coach and another assistant coach so we speak about that kind of thing together. We have a goalkeeping coach, Frans Hoek, and I’m not doing everything alone.
“Frans Hoek… he has a meeting with David de Gea and he asked him: ‘Do you want to play?’ [De Gea said “No”]. Then I have to take the decision. It is a process.
“We had been observing him in preparation, he was not so good, he was not the same David de Gea as before. He was my best player last season. According to the fans, he was the best of the last two years.”