'Man Utd swap deal collapsed at the last minute – I was left stranded and gutted'

Keylor Navas has revealed the emotional rollercoaster he experienced after his potential move to Manchester United fell through in the summer of 2015. The iconic goalkeeper was part of a proposed swap deal that would have sent him to United and would have brought David De Gea to Real Madrid.

However, this decision fell through due to a reported fax error that prevented the necessary documents from being filed on time. As a result, Navas and De Gea stayed at their clubs and embarked on very different paths.

Speaking to Spanish radio station Cadena COPE (via the Manchester Evening News) in 2015, Navas said: “I cried that night when I found out I was there, it was an accumulation of emotions I didn't want to leave, Madrid is my home.

“I never wanted to leave Real Madrid. My agent told me to pay attention to my phone. We had to go to Barajas [airport]even though I never took a plane, I was in a waiting room. I thought that if God wanted me to leave Madrid it would be for the best, but he didn't want that. . “.

Ultimately, Navas' presence at Real proved fortuitous for both him and the club. The 38-year-old went on to play a pivotal role in one of the most triumphant eras in football history, helping Los Blancos win three consecutive Champions League titles.

Meanwhile, De Gea's career at United hasn't exactly lived up to the mark in terms of silverware success. The 34-year-old – who joined Fiorentina as a free agent last summer – added an FA Cup to his trophy cabinet in 2016 and went on to claim the Europa League title and two Carabao Cups.

Navas left the Bernabeu to join Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 and spent five years with the French club. He was loaned to Nottingham Forest for the second half of the 2022/23 season but left Paris last year with three Ligue 1 titles and three Coupes de France to his name.

Although Navas has been without a club since May 2024, he has not officially announced his retirement from football. His impressive career at Real Madrid sealed his status as one of the greatest goalkeepers of his generation, while the Red Devils may be wondering what might have been if Navas had joined them all those years ago.