United respond to Madrid statement on failed David De Gea transfer

Manchester United have published a statement which contests claims made by Real Madrid, over the failed transfer of David de Gea.

The goalkeeper was set to move from Old Trafford to the Santiago Bernabeu but administative errors prevented the deal.

Both clubs blame each other for the move falling through.

Man United's statement reads:

Manchester United notes Real Madrid’s statement on the attempt to sign David De Gea and sell Navas to Manchester United. The Club feels compelled to provide some clarification with the following facts. 

• Manchester United did not seek contact from Real Madrid for the sale of David. David is a key member of our squad and the club’s preference was not to sell. • No offer was received for David until yesterday.

• At lunchtime yesterday, Real Madrid made its first offer to buy David. A deal was agreed between the clubs, which included Navas being transferred to Old Trafford.  The deals were dependent on each other.

• In the last several hours of the process, with Navas at the Real Madrid training ground, Real Madrid were controlling the documentation processes of David, Navas and Real Madrid. Manchester United was in control only of the documentation of Manchester United.

• Manchester United sent transfer documents for both players to Real Madrid at 2042 BST.  David’s documentation was returned by Real Madrid to Manchester United without the signatory page at 2232 BST. 

• At 22:40 BST, minutes before the deadline, major changes to the documentation came through to Manchester United which immediately put the deals at risk.  • Only at 2255 BST were the documents that are needed to cancel David’s contract received by Manchester United from Real Madrid. 

• At this point Navas’ documentation was still not returned by Real Madrid.

• At 2258 BST, the transfer agreement was sent back by Manchester United, uploaded onto TMS and accepted – all before the deadline. 

• It is our understanding that the deals couldn’t happen because:

- Real Madrid didn’t upload David’s documents onto TMS in time (Manchester United did)

- Real Madrid didn’t upload David’s documents to the Spanish league in time, per reports it seems some 28 minutes after the deadline • The fact that Manchester United filed the papers on time was acknowledged by the Football Association, who offered to support that claim in any discussions with FIFA. The Club offered this assistance, as well as its own timestamped documents to Real Madrid but they have chosen not to go down this route.

Manchester United acts appropriately and efficiently in its transfer dealings. The Club is delighted that its fan-favourite double Player of the Year, David de Gea, remains a Manchester United player.

Earlier in the day Real Madrid had published the following 10-point statement.

1. Manchester United did not open negotiations for the rights of David de Gea until yesterday morning.

2. Real Madrid, despite the difficulties of an operation of this kind on the last day of registration, agreed to begin these talks.

3. When Manchester United started negotiations yesterday morning they made it contingent on reaching an agreement with Real Madrid player Keylor Navas who would have to move to the British club this season, and they reported that they were in contact with representatives of the player.

4. Real Madrid and Manchester United reached a rapid agreement on the transfer of both players. After drafting the relevant contractual documents required, and in order to proceed with sufficient time to process them in the FIFA Transfer Matching System (TMS), and with the LFP in time, Real Madrid sent Manchester United the contracts at 13:39 Spanish time.

5. Manchester United sent back their comments on said contracts eight hours later, at 21:43 Spanish time, including small modifications. Due to not being relevant, all of the modifications were accepted immediately by Real Madrid with the intention of being able to register the player on time in the TMS and with the LFP.

6. Real Madrid, having obtained the signatures of David De Gea and Keylor Navas, sent the English club the signed contracts back at 23:32 Spanish time, waiting to receive the final documents signed by Manchester United.

 

7. Manchester United reached a final agreement with the representatives of Keylor Navas at 23:53 Spanish time and it was at this time that the contracts were sent to the player to be signed.

8. Manchester United entered into the TMS all the information for the De Gea deal, but not those for Keylor Navas, at 00:00 Spanish time, sending back to Real Madrid at the same time the signed transfer contracts. Real Madrid received the completed documentation at 00:02 and tried to access the TMS, but found it to already be closed.

 

9. At 00:26 Spanish time the FIFA computer system, TMS, invited Real Madrid to fill in the details for David De Gea, given that the registration period in England continues to be open until today. Real Madrid, with the prospect of contention over the player's transfer, decided to send the contracts to the LFP, even knowing that the period had expired.

 

10. Essentially, Real Madrid did everything necessary, at all times, to ensure that these two transfers happened.