Manchester United Transfer News: Keylor Navas 'Rang' to Force David De Gea Swap

Details of David De Gea's failed move to Real Madrid continue to unravel after it came to light Los Blancos goalkeeper Keylor Navas contacted the Premier League outfit personally in his bid to force through a swap.

Costa Rica international Navas was to be used in a £29 million player-plus-cash deal that would have seen him move to Old Trafford. The Daily Star's Marc Williams cited "a senior insider at United," who alleged Navas made a phone call to United executive Ed Woodward as he sought to secure a Bernabeu exit:

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Navas rang United chief executive Ed Woodward this morning to ask what he could do to still make the deal happen and join United. Real refused to let Navas travel to Old Trafford to undergo a medical, even insisting he didn't need one.

Club president Florentino Perez got cold feet when Spanish paper Marca ran a poll that revealed fans wanted the keeper to stay.

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De Gea's transfer stood out as one of the biggest sagas of the summer window, but a deal could not be sanctioned prior to the Spanish deadline on Monday evening.

Despite deserving his own plaudits as a talented stopper, Navas became something of a makeweight in the ordeal, leading his father Freddy Navas to hint politics played a big role in the situation, per Spanish newspaper Marca:

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The press want a Spaniard in goal at Real Madrid, so having a Costa Rican is acceptable in some regards and not in others. They know he's the best, but they're just too proud to accept it.

Keylor's father recalled how he felt when the Bernabéu stood to applaud his son on Saturday: 'Seeing so many people chanting my son's name sent shivers down my spine and brought tears to my eyes. They're a tough crowd to win over at one of the best clubs in the world. He makes Costa Rica so proud.'

He's told me he has everyone's backing. Marcelo, Cristiano Ronaldo, James and all the other players love him because he's so quiet and humble.

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Los Merengues already saw veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas exit their ranks on a free transfer earlier this summer, leaving manager Rafa Benitez in a precarious position as to who would guard his goal this season.

The Marca poll mentioned earlier in Williams' report may not be considered a reliable barometer regarding who's the superior goalkeeping talent between Navas and De Gea, according to ESPN's John Brewin:

If found to be true, Navas' reaching out to United could make for an awkward situation at the Bernabeu in the months to come, despite the fact the 28-year-old now stands as Benitez's clear first choice in goal.

De Gea's contract situation at Old Trafford remains unresolved, and unless the Red Devils convince their No. 1 to sign an extension, the subject of his acquisition will arise once more at Real in 2016.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

In the meantime, Navas will seek to cement his place in Real's goal in what will be his first unopposed run between the posts, with summer signing Kiko Casilla standing to be his only competition for the role.

Bleacher Report's Rik Sharma and Jonny Singer of the Daily Mail attest to how players not involved in a transfer's main headline can so often be hurt as a result of these dealings:

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@Jonny_Singer worse still, Keylor Navas. Madrid declaring today they did everything in their power to get rid of him

— Rik Sharma (@riksharma_) September 1, 2015"

Despite an entire summer of conjecture and speculation, there was no movement between Manchester United and Real Madrid, with the club's current assets forced to get back to business as usual.

Only time will tell just how easy that plight will be for the likes of Navas and De Gea, who will be forced to overcome any grievances with their respective clubs if they're to produce their best this season.