Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas has opened up about his own transfer saga with Manchester United, revealing he was left in tears over the potential move to the English Premier League
Keylor Navas almost joined Man United in 2015(Image: Getty Images)
Keylor Navas has revealed the emotional moment he shed tears of joy when his proposed transfer to Manchester United fell through.
Contrary to what one might expect, it wasn’t a case of disappointment for Navas on deadline day in the summer of 2015, but rather a sense of relief. The 38-year-old was being considered as part of a swap deal that would have seen David De Gea move to Real Madrid from United.
However, the infamous ‘fax machine malfunction’ meant the paperwork wasn’t submitted on time and the transfer never went ahead. As a result, both goalkeepers stayed put at their respective clubs, much to Navas’ delight who was thrilled to remain in Madrid.
“I cried that night when I found out I was staying, it was a build-up of emotions,” Navas confessed during a 2015 interview with Spanish radio station Cadena COPE. “I didn’t want to leave, Madrid is my home.
“I never wanted to leave Real Madrid. My agent told me to be alert to my phone. We had to go to Barajas [airport], although I never actually got on 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 me to…”
In the end, both parties reaped the benefits. Navas played a crucial role during one of the most successful periods in football history, let alone just for Real Madrid.
The Costa Rican was the club’s first-choice goalkeeper as Real became the first team in over 40 years to secure three consecutive Champions League titles (or European Cups).
2012-13 Premier League victor, De Gea, who spent a year as a free agent before signing with Fiorentina last year, didn’t quite enjoy Champions League success at United. But, the 34-year-old added an FA Cup to his trophy cabinet in 2016 and went on to clinch the Europa League, as well as two Carabao Cups.
Navas, who was a free agent, eventually left Madrid to join Paris Saint-Germain in 2019, spending five years on the French club’s roster. The seasoned player spent the latter half of the 2022/23 season on loan at Nottingham Forest but left Paris with three Ligue 1 titles and three Coupes de France under his belt.
Despite being without a club since May 2024, Navas has not yet officially hung up his boots. However, his legacy at Real Madrid will ensure he is remembered as one of the finest goalkeepers of his era, while United supporters may ponder what could have been.
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