Pictured: Man United keeper snapped in training as transfer saga rumbles on

David De Gea returned to training with United

LOUIS VAN GAAL refused to discuss a potential recall for David De Gea - but the keeper is back in training with the first team squad.

 

De Gea has been left out of the squad for United's opening two fixtures - the wins over Tottenham and Aston Villa - amid speculation he will join Real Madrid, and had been made to train with the reserves.

He has been linked with a move all summer but so far no agreement has been made.

 

Madrid allowed Iker Casillas to leave for Porto in the hope that De Gea would be their No.1 next season.

But the clubs have been unable to agree a fee with United holding out for either a record deal to beat Gianluigi Buffon's £32m price or for Sergio Ramos to come the other way.

Ramos today signed a new five-year contract at the Bernabeu and it seems Madrid will hold out until next season for De Gea - when his contract is up and they can sign him for free.

 

David De Gea in United training ahead of Brugge

 

David De Gea returned to United training after a week with the reserves

  

David De Gea in United training ahead of the Champions League

And Van Gaal claimed De Gea was not in the right frame of mind and could not focus, so Sergio Romero has played the opening two games.

Romero is yet to concede but, after pictures emerged today of De Gea training with the squad again, it is possible that he will be back for Brugge.

United take on the Belgians in the Champions League play-off and the Dutch boss admits these are the toughest two games of his Old Trafford career.

 

"There’s a lot of pressure because our aim is to reach the Champions League and that is what Arsene Wenger mentioned last year," Van Gaal said. 

"These kind of matches are difficult. We’ve drawn Brugge and they can defend very well. They can attack also, so it shall be a difficult match – that is why the pressure is high.

"The board, the players and the fans want to participate. We have to show our quality against a good team. It is not an easy game."