Manchester United: Espanyol president denies Real Madrid signed Kiko Casilla amid David de Gea saga

Espanyol president Joan Collet has confirmed Real Madrid recently asked about the availability of Kiko Casilla but denied recent reports claiming the Catalan club have agreed to sell the goalkeeper to Los Blancos for just €3m (£2.1m, $3.3m).

Spanish radio station Cadena Cope reported on Tuesday night (7 July) that Rafael Benitez's side had signed the Espanyol 'keeper amid delays in negotiations to lure David de Gea from Manchester United and the expected departure of Iker Casillas to Porto.

Cope assured that Los Blancos have agreed to pay around €3m to the Catalan side to secure his services and that Casilla, 28, may even be ready to join Real Madrid's tour in Australia on Sunday 12 July as the deal was expected to be official before the end of this week.

But the president of Espanyol claims they have not received a formal offer for the 'keeper and says they will not sell him for as little as €3m.

"It's nothing but lies. There's nothing. I'm not only surprised, I am completely amazed. I have spoken quite a few times with [Real Madrid general director] José Ángel Sánchez over the past few days and he did out one question to me but we haven't sat down to negotiate," Collet said as quoted by AS.

"All I know is that Kiko will turn up at midday to go on the summer stage with the rest of the squad. I don't know what will happen tomorrow but right now, there's nothing and there won't be for the price that's being bandied about."

Having developed his skills at the Real Madrid academy before moving to Espanyol, some suggested the low fee of the deal could be due to a buy-back in his contract when he left the Santiago Bernabeu for the Catalan side.

However, Collet said: "We're talking about a player who has been an international for Spain and will be called again.

"But first there has to be an offer, then we have to see whether the player wants to leave and after that, we need to talk to the coaching department. To talk about those kinds of fees for him makes our blood boil. I don't know where that information has come from."

Cope also had suggested the signing of Casilla was a message to Manchester United to tell them that if they keep stalling on the sale of the Spaniard, they have a back-up.

But asked whether he believes those reports came just to press United to sell De Gea, Collet said: "I don't know. There's something fishy about this. Someone is playing with our emotions and the players. I don't like it when they use his name for ulterior motives."