Real Madrid are increasingly confident that Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is prepared to leave Old Trafford and return to Spain if they decide to pursue him this summer.
Sportsmail has learned that De Gea has admitted privately to friends since the turn of the year that he would not be able to turn down the opportunity to become Real Madrid's first-choice goalkeeper and, in doing so, consolidate his position as Spain's No 1 goalkeeper.
It is understood that talks have been taking place between intermediaries behind the scenes for several months as Real weigh up a summer move for the goalkeeper.

De Gea's contract at Manchester United expires at the end of next season and manager Louis van Gaal admitted last week that the player is stalling over a new contract. United have proposed an offer that would make De Gea the highest paid goalkeeper in world football.
De Gea first admitted to friends around October time that he knew a potentially life-changing decision may await him this summer.
He has been kept aware of Real's developing interest over the past six months and there is now a firm belief in Spain that the player will leave Old Trafford if an offer arrives in the coming months. United would demand around £30m but they may have to settle for a significantly lowest figure due to De Gea's contractual position.

The situation, however, remains anything but clear-cut and much still depends on the form of Iker Casillas.
The Spanish goalkeeper remains a powerful voice in the Real dressing room and he has improved in the second half of the season after a troublesome 2014. The club are still to decide whether they feel he can be retained as their first-choice for another season. If, however, Madrid decide the time is right to move on, De Gea is their main target and they now believe that he is waiting in the wings.

Madrid's hopes are only boosted by the positive relationship between Florentino Perez and De Gea's agent, Jorge Mendes. It is also believed that fellow Mendes client Cristiano Ronaldo is a huge admirer of De Gea's talents and he has made that clear to the agent over the past year.
The upcoming Champions League semi-finals and the run-in to La Liga's title race will go a long way to resolving Madrid's position, although it is thought that they are leaning towards the view that the time is right to herald a new era and place De Gea between the sticks at the Bernabeu.
If Madrid were to decide to stick with Casillas, De Gea would then face a major decision as United cannot afford to lose the player on a free transfer next summer.
An increasingly unlikely possibility then emerges that De Gea could sign a new long-term deal at Old Trafford, meaning Madrid have to return with a bigger offer next summer.

De Gea and his parents, it should be said, are not unhappy in Manchester. There is certainly no hurry in his eyes to leave United and indeed, only a few months ago his parents Jose and Marivi were floating the suggestion to confidantes that they would be happy for their son to remain at Old Trafford for the rest of his career.
He is likely to win both the fans' and players' player of the year prizes at the United end-of-season awards night and he feels he has progressed well under the tutelage of Frans Hoek this season. The Dutch coach has been working hard to improve De Gea's anticipation and his improved reading of the game has added another facet to his catalogue over the last few months.
De Gea's feelings are dictated more by the lure of Madrid - rather than any sense of disaffection at United - and friends of the player now believe that should the opportunity arise, De Gea simply sees the opportunity to be Madrid's long-term goalkeeper as too good to turn down.
The situation surrounding Victor Valdes adds further credence to this view. Valdes signed for United on a free transfer earlier this season but is yet to play a single minute of competitive football.
One of his former coaches last week told Sportsmail: 'Valdes is incredibly competitive and determined. He's not going to sit on the bench for 18 months.
'The fact he hasn't played a single minute for United yet and he hasn't complained would suggest to me that he knows something we don't.'


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