Man United give up on De Gea as Real Madrid close in

To Man Utd fans, who would you love for your club to replace him with? Manchester United are resigned to losing David de Gea to Real Madrid this summer and have given up on attempts to keep him at Old Trafford.

Sources have told Goal that United have accepted De Gea's desire to move to Madrid in the transfer window and are concentrating on negotiating the best possible deal for the Spaniard.

De Gea told United in early June that he would not sign the new €280,000-a-week contract offered by the club and informed them of his desire to move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

United are playing hardball with Real Madrid and have demanded more than €40 million for the goalkeeper despite the fact that he has only one year remaining on his contract.

But behind closed doors senior club officials have told Goal that De Gea is certain to leave United, even if negotiations drag on until the end of the transfer window.

While United are serious about their interest in Sergio Ramos, they also recognise the bargaining value in their recent bid for the Real Madrid defender, whom they believe wants to complete a switch to Old Trafford.

De Gea is eager to push through his transfer after being warned that the Spanish giants will move on to other targets if he does not make the switch this summer.

The 24-year-old has been identified in Madrid as the perfect long-term replacement for Iker Casillas as the club's first-choice goalkeeper.