José Mourinho is worried that Manchester United could lose David De Gea on a free transfer to Juventus.
The Italian champions, who beat United 1-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday, have become masters in the art of snapping up top talent for nothing and it is understood that the goalkeeper is aware that they want him when his deal at Old Trafford expires.
The 27-year-old has a contract that runs out next summer, although United have the option of a further year. It appears that Juventus are ready to play a waiting game — just as they did when they lured a 19-year-old Paul Pogba to Turin in 2012 after his contract ran down. United then had to spend £89 million to bring the France midfielder back to Old Trafford in 2016.
De Gea had been expected to sign a new deal with United after Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois joined Real Madrid in the summer. However, no deal has been made and it seems he knows that Juventus, who have won the past seven Serie A titles — claiming the double with the Coppa Italia in the past four — are in pole position to poach him.
A Manchester United source said: “De Gea played against his future club on Tuesday. Juve are an expert in intelligent deals. If United don’t sell him in the summer, Juventus will wait until the end of his contract.”
It seems that the Italian club are in a strong position, with United potentially having to accept a cut-price offer from them next summer rather than risk losing De Gea for nothing 12 months later. Chelsea had a similar dilemma this summer over Courtois, having to accept about £31 million for the Belgium goalkeeper, then spend £71 million — a world-record fee for the position — to bring in Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao.
Juventus boast an impressive record of acquiring top talent for nothing, the most recent such signing being Emre Can from Liverpool this summer. They also snapped up Andrea Pirlo from AC Milan in 2011, Fernando Llorente (from Athletic Bilbao in 2013), Kingsley Coman (from Paris Saint-Germain in 2014), Sami Khedira (from Bayern Munich in 2015), Dani Alvés (from Barcelona in 2016) and Pogba.
They are not short of funds, ranked the ninth-richest club in the world and the richest in Italy. They showed that in the summer by signing Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid for £99 million.
Juventus are also seeking a world-class goalkeeper after Gianluigi Buffon, 40, left for PSG in the summer. Wojciech Szczesny, formerly of Arsenal, has taken Buffon’s place but the Italians clearly want De Gea to be their main man.
United paid what was then a British record fee for a goalkeeper of £18.9 million when they signed De Gea from Atletico Madrid during the summer of 2011.