David de Gea expects to extend Man United stay amid contract talks

David de Gea is convinced contract talks with Manchester United will ‘end in a good way’ despite club chiefs wanting to slash his £375k-a-week wages, with the Spaniard set to be offered a pay cut to stay at Old Trafford

• David de Gea has entered the final six months of his Manchester United contract
• The 32-year-old is expected to offered a pay cut from his £375k-a-week wages
• De Gea claims he is relaxed over the talks and hopes to extend his 12 season stay
• The Spaniard has been able to negotiate with foreign clubs since New Year’s Day

David de Gea is convinced that contract negotiations with Manchester United are set to ‘end in a good way’ and he will extend his career at Old Trafford.

De Gea made his 510th appearance for United in Tuesday’s win over Bournemouth – moving into 10th place on the club’s all-time list – and was in top form as he kept his fourth clean sheet in a row.

However, United declined to trigger the automatic 12-month extension in the Spaniard’s contract last month when they gave Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot and Fred an extra year on their deals until June 2024.

David de Gea claims he is relaxed as talks continue over a new Manchester United contract

It means that De Gea is set to become a free agent in the summer and has been able to negotiate with foreign clubs since New Year’s Day.

United are understood to be reluctant to keep the former Atletico Madrid keeper for another year on his current £375,000-a-week salary, and want De Gea to accept a pay-cut before offering him a new contract on reduced terms.

The club are not actively looking for a replacement even though it emerged on Wednesday that United are in talks with Crystal Palace to sign Jack Butland until the end of the season after Newcastle cut short Martin Dubravka’s loan.

De Gea is in his 12th season at United after moving to Old Trafford from Atletico for £18.9million in 2011, and is optimistic that a compromise can be struck so he can stay at the club even longer.

‘I’m very relaxed,’ he said after the win over Bournemouth. ‘I just focus on training and perform as best as I can. But, for sure, it’s going to end in a good way. I hope so.

De Gea will be offered reduced terms by the club from his current £375k-a-week wages

‘I was saying this is my club. I’ve been here many, many years and it’s a huge honour to be here and I’m so happy here.’

De Gea came to United’s rescue on several occasions in the second half of a 3-0 win over Bournemouth as they gave up a number of chances, leaving Erik ten Hag unhappy over his team’s sloppiness.

‘He was a bit angry because we conceded too many chances and we were too open at the end of the game,’ added De Gea, who has not conceded at home in the league for four months.

‘Every save is important. I just have to help the team and try my best. We’re so happy, it was a massive three points for us. We controlled the game really well, just in the last 15 or 20 minutes they had some good chances as well, but probably the players felt a bit tired at the end.’

The 32-year-old is the club’s current longest-serving star after joining under Sir Alex Ferguson

Ten Hag opted to leave his first-choice central defensive partnership of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez on the bench, and play Harry Maguire alongside Victor Lindelof in front of De Gea.

The former Spain international said it made no difference to him and praised the way Ten Hag has instilled a new team spirit after inheriting a divided dressing-room when he took over in the summer.

‘We changed two centre-backs and they played really well,’ said De Gea. ‘I feel comfortable with everyone. It doesn’t matter who is playing, everyone is ready to perform and it’s great to have a proper squad.

‘It doesn’t matter who you put together in the team. Even Luke Shaw played at centre-back (against Nottingham Forest and Wolves) and he played really well in two difficult games. I love to see the players like this, it’s very enjoyable.

De Gea is the only member of United’s 2013 Premier League title-winning side still at the club

‘Everyone is ready, everyone is focused, everyone is training really well, everyone is in the same direction, so this is massive. It doesn’t matter who is playing.

‘Even the subs today, it doesn’t matter who came in, they put everything on the pitch. We have great team spirit and, for me, it’s great to see the players play in this way.

‘The manager is doing well. He puts every player in the same direction and we feel like a proper team. Everyone wants to win, everyone wants to play for this club and that’s massive.

‘He brought a great spirit to the team. We are playing really well, and this is the way we have to show and keep the momentum as well.’

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