In a bizarre twist it has been claimed that the documents relating to David de Gea's move to Real Madrid from Manchester United did not reach La Liga headquarters in time.
Real Madrid agreed a deal with Manchester United earlier this evening for De Gea, with a total package worth €40m set to see the shot-stopper move to the Bernabeu; Keylor Navas would have moved the opposite way.
But according to Madrid-based daily Marca, De Gea is not a Real Madrid player as the documents relating to the deal did not reach the relevant La Liga authorities on time. Indeed, according to Spanish TV programme El Chiringuito, the document from Manchester United arrived at 00:01.
And, if true, De Gea is still a Manchester United player.
De Gea has less than a year left on his contract at Old Trafford and has been desperate to join Real Madrid this summer.
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But he may now be forced to remain at Manchester United until at least the January transfer window.
Manchester United's ability to ask for a fee of €40m for De Gea in the new year will be ended as the goalkeeper will have only six months on his contract and can sign a pre-contractual agreement with Real Madrid.
