“Everyone was stressed”: Decorated star spills beans on his dramatic, botched deadline-day move to United

Former Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas has shared details of his botched deadline day transfer to Manchester United in 2015.

Failed United switch

Then, at the height of his powers and considered the best goalkeeper in the world, David de Gea seemed destined to leave United and join Madrid when they came knocking for his services.

As part of the deal, Madrid agreed to let Navas go the other way and sign for United.

Louis van Gaal, who was manager at the time, held late conversations with Navas to get the switch over the line. However, the deal collapsed at the last minute due to the inability to complete the necessary paperwork before the window closed.

In a now-infamous incident, a malfunctioning fax machine at Old Trafford was blamed for the club’s failure to submit the required documentation on time.

De Gea stayed at United and put pen to paper on a new contract. The Spaniard stayed at the club until 2023 when he departed as a free agent.

Likewise, Navas remained at Madrid and enjoyed a successful career, winning three Champions Leagues in a row between 2015 and 2018.

Navas shares details

The Pumas UNAM shot-stopper spoke to AS and described how events unfolded that day.

He said, “They called me at home around four or five in the afternoon to discuss the possibility. The United manager [Van Gaal] spoke to me to try and convince me.”

“Then I prayed with my family, asking God to do what was best for us according to His will. The fax didn’t arrive on time, and that was God’s answer to our prayer.”

“It was a frantic few hours of going back and forth to the airport, medicals, reviewing contracts, and attending meetings.”

The Costa Rican continued, “When the deadline passed and the fax hadn’t arrived, everyone was stressed except my wife and me. I said goodbye to the Real Madrid executives who were negotiating and went home very calm, knowing that something better was coming.”

Having tasted such glory with Madrid, Navas now doubts whether that kind of success can ever be repeated in the game.

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