Manchester United ready to offer David de Gea £300k-a-week deal to ward off Real Madrid interest

Manchester United are set to begin talks with David de Gea over a new deal that will make him one of the highest paid players at the club in their bid to ward off interested suitors.

The Spanish goalkeeper is undoubtedly one of the first names on Jose Mourinho's team sheet and the Red Devils are keen to ensure that they have him tied down to a new long-term deal. De Gea is currently contracted to United until the summer of 2019 with an option of a further 12 months.

Real Madrid have been constantly linked with a move for the Spain international and even came close to signing him in 2015. It was only due to delayed paperwork that De Gea is not the number one at the Santiago Bernabeu today.

The 20-times English champions fear that the Spanish capital club will again make a move in the summer and are keen to dissuade their interest by tying De Gea to a lucrative new deal. According to the Sun, the United hierarchy are ready to hand him a new long-term deal worth £300,000-a-week ($411,885) bringing him on par with the club's highest earner Paul Pogba – he currently earns a reported £210,000-a-week.

The Red Devils are said to want to conclude talks, which are yet to begin, before De Gea travels for the World Cup with Spain in the summer as they are keen to avoid any sort of speculation with regards to his future during the transfer window.

"The club are finally going to kick-start contract talks with David very soon," a source close to United was quoted as saying by The Sun.

"There were hints of talks in the summer but formal discussions had not yet started, it was just a matter of time.

"There is no problem and the money men are committed to tying him down for the long-term," the source explained. "He is probably the best and most important player at the club and there is no chance we want to lose him."