Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has refused to rule out a move to Real Madrid, reports Marca.

What's the word?

Rumours linking De Gea to the Spanish giants have surfaced over the course of the past two seasons following his failed move in 2015.

The 26-year-old had agreed to move to the Bernabeu that summer, but the paperwork was not completed before the deadline and the proposed move fell through.

Many tipped the shot-stopper to join the La Liga club at the end of last season, but after Jose Mourinho was appointed as Louis van Gaal's successor, the Spaniard stayed put.

The rumours have returned, though, with Madrid-based sports daily Marca reporting that Real have already made contact with De Gea's camp.

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What is even more telling is that the man himself has not rebuffed the rumours, telling the Spanish publication:

"The future, nobody knows. The future is the future. I'm very happy here, it's a great club. In England, football is enjoyed a lot.

"I’m not going to talk about [Real Madrid]. I‘m not going to talk about that subject now. I just have to keep focused on my club."

Is De Gea's exit likely to happen?

After he failed to get his Madrid wish in 2015, many would have thought the goalkeeper was certain to complete the move the following summer.

However, Mourinho's arrival at Old Trafford shows what a difference a new manager can make.

The Portuguese coach, who has plenty of pedigree following his success at Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, took over after a few dismal years for United under David Moyes and then Van Gaal.

It is likely that Mourinho played a huge role in keeping De Gea at the club last summer, but he may be swayed to leave if the North-West outfit fail to qualify for the Champions League.

At the moment, United are sixth in the standings, two points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal, but their Premier League title bid crumbled early on and they now sit 14 points behind leaders Chelsea.

The worry for United is that De Gea was born in Madrid, and even though he began his career at Atletico, the chance to play for one of the biggest clubs in Spain would be difficult to turn down.

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