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| David de Gea looks set to sign a new lucrative deal at Old Trafford |
MANCHESTER UNITED will re-open negotiations with David De Gea over a new bumper contract after holding talks with the goalkeeper's agent.
United officials met the Spain international's representative Jorge Mendes at their training ground yesterday in attempt to ease tensions following the deadline-day collapse of his move to Real Madrid.
According to sources close to the player, De Gea now wishes to remain at Old Trafford for the rest of this season and is believed to be ready to sign an extension.
De Gea's current deal, which runs out next summer, is worth £35,000 a week and he rejected a £200,000-a-week offer at the end of last season.
However, the 24-year-old is understood to have instructed Mendes to negotiate terms to make him the Premier League's highest-paid goalkeeper.
De Gea has taken a pragmatic approach to smooth over relations with United as the fall-out from his failed move to the Bernabeu continued.
Real president Florentino Perez insists the Spanish club would "definitely not" move for De Gea in January and described his relationship with super agent Mendez as "broken".
Perez also insists Real have not discouraged De Gea from signing a new deal with the Red Devils. "He is there and we have three very good goalkeepers," said Perez. "We have not told him not to sign a new deal. He has to do what is best for his career.
"It's very difficult that he does nothing for a year. When people say, 'wait for a year and then he comes free' that has never happened with any big player."
Louis van Gaal has already spoken to De Gea following his return from international duty and will strongly consider restoring him to the starting line-up for Saturday's clash with Liverpool.
The United manager left the De Gea out of United's first six games of the season because of concerns over his focus amid Real's interest and selected Argentine Sergio Romero.
Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet however, whose side face United tomorrow, believes De Gea will only be ready to successfully return to United's line-up if he has mentally come to terms with his aborted move to Real.
"The only thing I know is that he is a very good goalkeeper who has proved himself to be very important for Manchester United over time," said Mignolet. "He has all the abilities to play again but it depends on how he is and what kind of state he is in. That's for Manchester United to judge whether he is in a good frame of mind to play.
"The Premier League is the most demanding league for any goalkeeper.
"The mental aspect of being a goalkeeper is very important so you have to go into the game with full concentration and confidence.
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| De Gea is being considered for a place in the starting line-up for Saturday's clash with Liverpool |
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| Jorge Mendes was seen arriving at Manchester United's training ground yesterday |
"That is a big part of your game. When you are in a good frame of mind then obviously the performance is going to be better. That is logical. But I cannot say what is happening in his head.
"He played with Spain and was ready then. He kept a clean sheet."
Mignolet returns to Old Trafford having been dropped for the corresponding fixture last December which ended with United winning 3-0 but De Gea, perversely, being man of the match.
Time out of Liverpool's team proved a turning point for Mignolet with the period of introspection which followed prompting an upturn in form when injury opened a window of opportunity for him.
"On the morning of the game I woke up and you can do two things," he said. "Moan about it and let your head drop, or be positive and work as hard as you ever did to come back into the team."
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