Pumas UNAM goalkeeper Keylor Navas says his failed Manchester United move didn’t impact him.
Friday’s edition of AS has published a detailed interview with the Costa Rica international to discuss several topics, including Manchester United’s approach.
Real Madrid signed the stopper from Levante UD in August 2014 and Manchester United came calling a year later.
Manchester United’s late approach for Navas
At that time, David de Gea was the No.1 at Old Trafford and was starring for the Red Devils. His impressive performances for Manchester United had caught Real Madrid’s attention.
The La Liga side tried to take the former Atlético Madrid man back to the Spanish capital. As part of the deal, Real Madrid agreed to let the 39-year-old Costa Rican join Manchester United.
Louis van Gaal was then in charge of the Premier League side and held talks with Navas to convince him. This double operation was planned to go through on summer 2015 deadline day.
However, the paperwork related to the move wasn’t submitted before the window closed and the operation collapsed.
Manchester United ended up renewing De Gea’s contract. He eventually left the English club on a free transfer in 2023 and joined Fiorentina a year later.
Navas’ Real Madrid goodbye to join Manchester United
Sport Witness earlier covered Spanish claims that the current Pumas stopper was on a private jet to join the Red Devils.
AS have asked Navas about his failed move to Manchester United, and he said: “They called me at home around four or five in the afternoon to discuss the possibility. The United manager [Van Gaal] spoke to me to try and convince me.
“Then I prayed with my family, asking God to do what was best for us according to His will. The fax didn’t arrive on time, and that was God’s answer to our prayer.
“It was a frantic few hours of going back and forth to the airport, medicals, reviewing contracts, and attending meetings.
“When the deadline passed and the fax hadn’t arrived, everyone was stressed except my wife and me. I said goodbye to the Real Madrid executives who were negotiating and went home very calm, knowing that something better was coming.”
Navas’ failed move to Manchester United paid off as he won three Champions League in a row with Real Madrid between 2015-18. He left Los Blancos in 2019.
On this success, Navas explained: “I don’t know if something like that will ever happen again, but aside from the great sporting success, maintaining such a high-quality, united group for so many years will be very difficult to repeat. Now there are constant changes at clubs, and our strong unity was crucial to achieving those successes.”
