So, Sky’s report that Real Madrid have offered £60m for David De Gea.
What’s all that about?
The claim was quickly denied by Manchester United, and the whole thing looks quite odd.
The reflex reaction for many Manchester United fans on occasions like this is to blame Real Madrid. It’s them trying to unsettle De Gea, and playing media games.
But that theory falls to pieces too easily to be seriously considered. Real Madrid, if they fancied a bit of leaking, wouldn’t be doing it to Sky.
The Spanish club have a whole network of connections to push such stories out. Big claims pushed strongly in Spain very quickly make their way to England, so there’s zero reason to change the habit of a lifetime.
Despite it coming out before 10pm on Wednesday evening, it’s still not being widely covered in Spain. They’ll get around to it, but there’s the rather important matter of a Champions League final taking their attention.
As much as it may not fit a certain narrative, De Gea to Real Madrid isn’t the biggest story in town, or even close to it.
Manchester United won’t have leaked it directly, their quick denial makes that clear, and it’s just not something associated with Old Trafford, even if the club’s veneer has suffered some cracks in recent times.
But, that said, the leak benefits Manchester United more than anyone else right now. It was made clear the £60m offer had been rejected, a show of strength, and Sky repeated during their news bulletins that De Gea is happy where he is.
The whole thing seems like blowing a raspberry at Real Madrid.
Other theories have popped up. One being Sky Bet, a manipulation of the betting market. Seeing how transfer rumours work, and how a growing percentage of transfer articles are now based entirely on odds, it’s natural and correct to feel suspicious about the transfer betting industry.
But this just doesn’t feel like that. It’s too ‘out there’ obvious for a start. It wouldn’t bring in a new tangent to the betting and balance any liabilities, which is often what looks most suspicious.
And, if the De Gea report was all to drive betting, then it wouldn’t exactly help to make clear, at the same time of the claims, the £60m was knocked back and the player is happy to remain.
Understandably, there’s a theory Sky have plucked it from thin air, or Twitter, as ‘Sky sources’ is often better known, but for this kind of big claim that also feels unlikely.
Even Italian journalists haven’t escaped the finger of suspicion, with some claims on Twitter that it’s an attempt to unsettle Keylor Navas and Real Madrid and therefore help Juventus.
Whilst we don’t go with the Italian theory, the angle of this being to annoy Real Madrid is the likeliest. Navas has been irritated by the constant doubt around his future and to encourage that is mischievous.
It also pokes Florentino Perez in the eye. Here come Madrid with their record breaking bid and Manchester United have dismissed it straightaway, and the player isn’t even overly bothered.
Whilst the claims may not have come from Manchester United as a club, it would be a reasonable theory to suspect someone there could have something to do with it.
Around a year ago, Sky had a steady stream of Manchester United exclusives which appeared to be direct from the horses mouth, as Jose Mourinho encouraged several of their reporters to play chase with him around London.
It must be frustrating for Mourinho and Manchester United to believe that a De Gea approach is very plausible, and that it could come soon after Real Madrid’s Champions League final or instead drag on longer.
Whilst De Gea may not be agitating for a move, he wasn’t thought to be last time but it didn’t change the fact he wanted it and seemed devastated at the collapse.
Maybe sending shots towards Madrid is a way of letting the club know things won’t be easy, and flushing out any attempt so it comes sooner rather than later.
As well, of course, as just winding up Perez and his club a couple of days before the big Cardiff game.
