David de Gea will be hoping to keep plenty of clean sheets when he signs for United in a £20m deal.
But yesterday it was Reds security staff’s turn as they attempted – but failed miserably – to hide the Spanish Under-21 star under a white blanket as he arrived in Manchester for a medical.
The Atletico Madrid goalkeeper is set to send Sir Alex Ferguson’s summer spending soaring past the £50m mark.
De Gea had part of his medical at a private hospital in Manchester yesterday and was at the Reds’ Carrington training HQ and Old Trafford today tying up the deal.
The 20-year-old, who won the European Under- 21 Championships with Spain at the weekend, flew straight from his triumph in Denmark to seal a move to the Premier League champions.
He is expected to sign a five-year contract but official confirmation might have to wait until Friday when De Gea’s new agent takes charge of his affairs.
The long search for Edwin Van der Sar’s successor is over with the young Atletico number one rising to the top of Fergie’s wanted list after he considered the likes of Schalke’s Manuel Neuer and Ajax’s Maarten Stekelenburg.
After a summer holiday, he will miss the start of United’s pre-season training next week but could join up with his new Reds colleagues on the club’s tour of America in mid-July.
De Gea becomes Fergie’s third capture of the close season, joining Ashley Young and Phil Jones as new arrivals to the first team squad.
The total of over £50m is United’s biggest ever summer cash outlay.
It surpasses the incoming activity in 2007 when they brought in Nani, Anderson and Owen Hargreaves for £44m and also added Carlos Tevez on a two-season loan.
United have been the quickest and busiest club in the transfer market this summer.
Now Reds fans are waiting to see if United will go for the big one and pursue the midfield playmaker to complete the rebuilding jigsaw.
Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder remains the man the United support want to fill the Paul Scholes void but Arsenal’s Samir Nasri is still very much on the champions’ radar.
Sneijder’s arrival would push the spending past the £80m received for Cristiano Ronaldo two years ago and the Dutchman could command a salary of £200,000 a week.
Arsenal’s Frenchman would come cheaper in wages and the transfer fee.
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