Jose Mourinho hopeful Manchester United board will offer David de Gea lucrative new deal

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has urged the club to tie down David de Gea to a long-term contract by offering him a lucrative new deal.

De Gea has been one of the first names on the team sheet for the Red Devils ever since arriving at Old Trafford from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2011 and has continued to impress this season.

However, he has perennially been linked with a move to Real Madrid, having almost signed for the reigning Champions League winners in 2015, if not for an infamous faulty fax machine.

The Spaniard's current deal sees him reportedly earn £190,000-a-week ($261,000) and is set to expire in the summer of 2019, and with United holding the option to extend for a further 12 months, Mourinho is hopeful that the Spaniard will remain at the club for a long time.

"The option, it's obvious that we're not going to let the option disappear," Mourinho told reporters. "A goalkeeper like he is and obviously a club that wants to be better and better and better, we're not going to let that year option go away. But obviously, we're going to try.

"Mr [Ed] Woodward is not on ­holiday. He barely has holidays. Of course, he's going to try to give him a contract that keeps him here for much longer than that option that, of course, we're going to execute.

"I don't know if talks are ­already under way. I just trust the board and the work they do. I don't negotiate with players, I don't discuss numbers and ­contracts. I just say what is ­obvious. Anyone of you would say the same – David is to keep."

Reports stated that the club were ready to offer the Spain international a £300,000-a-week deal to fend off interest from Real Madrid.

However, a recent Mirror report claims that United executive vice-­chairman Woodward plans to open talks with De Gea's ­representatives over a new £250,000-a-week ($344,000) long-term deal.