Sergio Romero refutes River Plate speculation and targets Manchester United number one shirt

Manchester United goalkeeper Sergio Romero has no plans to return to his Argentine homeland and remains hopeful of displacing David de Gea as the number one at Old Trafford. The 29-year-old has been linked with a move to River Plate at the end of the season after slipping down the pecking order, having started the season ahead of De Gea.

Reports from Goal.com understood that River were keen on acquiring the out-of-favour United stopper a year on from his move to the Premier League on a free transfer. Romero has made 10 appearances for the club this season but since the reinstatement of De Gea has been forced to sit on the bench for long periods of the season.

Romero joined United in July 2015 and began the first six games of the season as De Gea looked set to join Real Madrid. But upon that move collapsing and the Spaniard signing a new long-term contract, manager Louis van Gaal recalled De Gea – a move which left Romero out in the cold.

The former Sampdoria and Monaco 'keeper remains the Argentina number one having started each of their four World Cup qualifiers but he has ambitions of returning to the United goal and displacing De Gea in the process. Real continued to be linked with a move for De Gea this summer and Romero wants to take full advantage by reclaiming his United place.

"No one has contacted me," he told ESPN Deportes when asked about links with River. "It appeared in the press but that's it. My head is in Manchester. In the games where I've had to play, I've proved that I can play. My dream is to get a hold of the [United] goal and defend it and it doesn't enter my mind to go back to Argentina."

Despite rumours that De Gea was part of Real manager Zinedine Zidane's plans for a mass overhaul in the summer with the club having fallen off the pace in pursuit of the La Liga title, latest suggestions are that the Bernabeu side have dropped their interest in the United stopper. Marca understand Keyler Navas will remain as the club's number one, which ends interest in the former Atletico Madrid man.