De Gea future not yet clear

Louis van Gaal has admitted he doesn’t know if David De Gea will still be a Manchester United player after tomorrow.

Van Gaal said 10 days ago that De Gea would not be leaving the club after a stand–off in which last season’s United player of the year was banished to the sidelines.

But Van Gaal’s position appeared to soften following United’s 2–1 Barclays Premier League defeat at Swansea, in which Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero might have done better for both the home side’s goals.

The Spanish transfer window closes at midnight – 18 hours before England’s – and when asked whether De Gea would stay, Van Gaal replied: “I don’t know. We have to wait and see. I don’t want to interfere.

“We have divided our tasks and the task is for Ed Woodward (United chief executive) and not me. We have coped with the situation by buying Romero. That is what we have done as a club to settle that issue.”

Van Gaal refused to discuss reports linking Javier Hernandez with a move to Bayer Leverkusen but he was forthcoming in his defence of Romero.

Juan Mata had given United the lead just after half–time but the contest was turned round between the 61st and 66th minutes, with Andre Ayew and Bafetimbi Gomis strikes repeating Swansea’s 2-1 win at the Liberty Stadium in February.