Real Madrid president: Manchester United failed to sign Pedro and Nicolas Otamendi due to inexperience

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has insisted that the inexperience of Manchester United officials was the main reason behind the number of transfer setbacks that Louis van Gaal's side suffered during the summer transfer window. Perez says the Premier League giants not only failed to complete the double deal involving David de Gea and Keylor Navas on deadline day but also saw Chelsea and Manchester City beat them for Pedro and Nicolas Otamendi respectively due to their naivety.

The Spanish big dogs agreed a double deal with United that would have taken De Gea to the Bernabeu, with Navas moving the other way. However, the deal collapsed on Spanish deadline day as the paperwork did not arrive at La Liga headquarters on time.

Real Madrid and United have since being involved in a war of words over who was to blame for the fiasco. Perez reiterated during an interview with Cadena Cope that the deal collapsed due to the lack of experience of United, providing as evidence a document that shows the Premier League giants were late returning the paperwork.

"Real Madrid made the best job we could, with the hours they gave us [as Manchester Untied did not want to negotiate until deadline day]. We did our best, but Manchester United do not have the experience to deal with transfers on the last day of the window," he said.

"The same thing happened with Fabio Coentrao and to Athletic Bilbao with Ander Herrera [the year before Herrera did arrive at Old Trafford]. And it happened to them again this summer with two players they were close to signing but did not, Otamendi and Pedro. It was because of their lack of experience."

United were heavily linked with Pedro and Otamendi during the summer transfer window. However, the Spaniard joined Chelsea after the Blues agreed met his £22m release clause while the Argentine centre-back made the move to the Etihad Stadium.