In the winding, baffling David de Gea transfer saga, Manchester United got the last word on Tuesday night, outlining their version of events hours after Real Madrid had issued a statement outlining why they felt United were at fault in the collapsed deal.
Both sides appear to acknowledge an agreement was made early in the day before a back-and-forth scramble in the last few hours leading to the deadline resulted in the demise of the deal, which was to send Madrid keeper Keylor Navas back to Old Trafford. Taken together, though, the statements seem to highlight a few points of contention as to the final events of Monday night.
– Real Madrid claim they sent United “signed contracts” for De Gea and Navas at 11.32pm Spanish time (1.52am UAE) “before waiting to receive the final documents” from Manchester United.
– United say they indeed received De Gea’s documentation by 10.32 British time (11.32 Spain, 1.52 UAE), but “without the signatory page”.
– United claim at 10.40 (11.40) they received “major changes to the documentation” – in what sense or for which player, United did not make clear – “which immediately put the deals at risk”.
– At 11.53 (10.53) Real Madrid say United reached a final agreement with Navas and “it is at this point that the contracts were sent to the player” – contracts, plural; player, singular – “to be signed”.
– At 10.55 (11.55) United claim “the documents that are needed to cancel David’s contract” – the signatory page, perhaps – are received.
– At 10.58 (11.58) United say they sent back the transfer agreement, “uploaded onto TMS” – Fifa’s Transfer Matching System – “and accepted, all before the deadline”.
– At 12.00 (11.00) Madrid claim, two minutes after United say they did so, that De Gea’s details have been uploaded onto TMS and Madrid are sent “signed transfer contracts”.
– At 12.02 (11.02) Madrid say they have received “complete documentation” and attempt to access TMS, only to find it has closed.
Real ultimately claim, 26 minutes after the deadline has passed, they are able to file the details for De Gea into TMS – at the system’s invitation, they say – and send the contracts to Spain football officials in the event a legal dispute follows.
The duelling statements still leave much to be accounted for. At 11.30, half an hour before the deadline, Madrid claim to need "final documents" from Manchester United. Yet the English club claim they receive De Gea's documentation at the same time, 11.30, minus a crucial element, and at 11.40 receive "major changes" to unspecified documentation – whether affecting De Gea's contract, deal specifications or otherwise is left to be guessed.
Madrid say final contracts were sent to the player at 11.53 without specifying which player. Throughout the frantic 30-minute timeline pieced together by the clubs’ statements, documents and contracts and signatures are referred to without quite ever clarifying who needs what from whom at each stage and what is and is not actually complete.
Then, of course, there is the crucial, two-minute gap between when United say they uploaded the final transfer agreement to TMS and when Madrid say the final details were uploaded to TMS – two disputed minutes that are ultimately the difference between David de Gea playing in Manchester or Madrid until January, at earliest.
Both clubs claim to be the injured party in this deal. “Real Madrid did everything necessary at all times to complete both transfers,” read their statement. “Manchester United acts appropriately and efficiently in its transfer dealings,” read theirs.
Ultimately, though, United do indeed get the last word on how this all shakes out.
“The club is delighted that its fan-favourite double player of the year, David de Gea, remains a Manchester United player.”
* With agencies
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The British in India: Three Centuries of Ambition and Experience
by David Gilmour
Allen Lane
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
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UAE squad
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Rating: 4/5
