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Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea is a target for Real Madrid once again, according to the Daily Mirror.

The Spanish giants reappointed Zinedine Zidane as manager earlier this month and the Frenchman is a huge fan of the Red Devils stopper.

What's the word?

Real and De Gea have flirted with each other numerous times over the years.

Indeed, Los Blancos almost completed the signing of the goalkeeper in 2015, only for the move to be scuppered by the paperwork not being submitted on time.

De Gea has subsequently blossomed into a world-class player at Old Trafford and has made over 350 appearances for the club, winning the Premier League, the Europa League, the FA Cup and the League Cup.

However, he has yet to commit his future to United, with his current contract set to expire in 2020.

The Mirror claim that Zidane has been promised a huge amount of money to spend in the summer as he looks to turn Real into world-beaters once again and De Gea is already earmarked as a target, with £75million set aside for a bid.

Real signed Thibaut Courtois from Chelsea last summer but the report states that Zidane holds doubts over the Belgium international's ability, hence the renewed interest in De Gea.

Most important battle of his career

This may be the most important battle of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's managerial career.

Assuming he is given the United job on a permanent basis, his first task will be to convince De Gea to stick around.

Real have come knocking in the past and United have been able to fend them off but the threat now feels all the more immediate.

United are unlikely to win a trophy this season - they are still in the Champions League but take on Barcelona in the quarter-finals - and face a battle to finish in the top four.

De Gea leaving would be a massive blow and he could take years to replace effectively. Sir Alex Ferguson suffered that exact same problem when Peter Schmeichel left Old Trafford in 1999 - it wasn't until 2005, upon the arrival of Edwin van der Sar, that United found a calm and composed long-term No.1.

Solskjaer needs to work his magic and ensure that the Spaniard sees his future at Old Trafford; if he can't, he faces the prospect of having to replace United's only indisputable world-class player.