David De Gea’s future at Manchester United continues to be subject of intense speculation and it appears that the Spaniard may have played his last game for the Red Devils, after he was left out of the travelling party to face Southampton this evening.

Real Madrid continue to push for the signature of the former Atletico Madrid stopper, following the collapse of a deal in 2015, and Manchester United will find it difficult to fend off the interest of the Champions League finalists in the close season.

De Gea stands as a crucial player within Jose Mourinho’s squad but reports suggest the Portuguese boss will not keep the stopper at Old Trafford if he doesn’t want to be there- and the latest suggestions indicate he may never represent the club again.

The travelling squad for this evening’s clash with Southampton does not include De Gea, who’s said to be upset that he hasn’t been playing in the Europa League and he’s set to miss the chance of featuring in the final against Ajax later this month.

Manchester United have utilised second-choice stopper Sergio Romero for their European exploits this season and will continue to stick with the Argentine, although their chances of keeping De Gea will take a hit as a result.

Replacing De Gea this summer will certainly not be an easy task for Jose Mourinho and it’s vital he moves swiftly to complete a deal, with top-class names being mentioned including Atletico Madrid ace Jan Oblak, Inter Milan’s Samir Handanovic and AC Milan’s teenage sensation Gianluigi Donnarumma.

All of those top-class targets would be ideal recruits for the Red Devils, although they would prove to be expensive, but the price-tag they’d have to pay for the three aforementioned names would likely rise the later Manchester United make their move.

United’s finances mean they do not have to wait for a De Gea sale to have the funds to move for a replacement and Mourinho’s side need to be proactive this summer, as a sale of the Spaniard will leave rival clubs knowing they have money to spend- and their asking price would likely raise as a result.

Now 26, De Gea is approaching the prime years of his career but it’s been obvious for a while that a move to Real Madrid was inevitable and Manchester United need to ensure they get the best deal possible, limiting the impact the Spaniard’s departure will have on the squad.

Mourinho’s stance of allowing De Gea to leave may raise eyebrows for many but the rebuild he faces means it is crucial the players within the squad are happy to follow the plans, otherwise a major fall-out could create havoc behind the scenes.