Real Madrid plan De Gea pursuit – sources

Real Madrid still plan to move for Manchester United’s David De Gea in the summer despite their current transfer ban and are unlikely to try and buy him this January, sources have told ESPN FC.

The Spanish club are currently prohibited from registering players in the next two windows — not including January 2016 — after FIFA announced in midweek that they were punishing the club and neighbours Atletico Madrid for the of signing of overseas players under 18 years of age.

Real have already stated that they will appeal, and ESPN FC has been told that president Florentino Perez and Bernabeu officials met on Thursday afternoon to discuss the developments as well as the effect on their transfer plans.

There is full belief among the club’s hierarchy that their appeal will be successful — with manager Zinedine Zidane calling the ban absurd — and that there is no need to be rushed into business this January.

As such, they still plan to go back in for De Gea this summer.

The United goalkeeper was on the brink of moving to Real in the summer window, but the two clubs were unable to finalize paperwork before the window shut. De Gea subsequently signed a new four-year contract at Old Trafford club.

There has been speculation by those close to the deal that the new contract was primarily a way to get United a fairer price once the 25-year-old completes his wish of eventually going to the Bernabeu.

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