TRANSFER DEADLINE

David de Gea in limbo as paperwork delay threatens to end dream £29m move to Real Madrid from Manchester United... who were taking Keylor Navas in part-exchange

De Gea has not been selected by Louis van Gaal due to doubts about his focus amid interest from Real

David de Gea has been left in limbo this morning as his long-awaited move from Manchester United to Real Madrid stood on the brink of collapse amid claims that paperwork had failed to arrive to the Spanish governing body headquarters by the midnight deadline for the transfer window in Spain.

De Gea believed that he had achieved his dream move to Real Madrid after the Spanish club broke the deadlock on Monday afternoon when they thrashed out a deal worth £29million.

Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas was also set to head to Old Trafford in part exchange.

David de Gea's dream move to Real Madrid from Manchester United could collapse after a delay in paperwork

However, in a dramatic twist, De Gea was left shell-shocked as the transfer descended into farce as this summer’s most protracted transfer saga came to a shambolic conclusion:

• Sources close to Real Madrid accused United of failing to send the relevant documents to the LFP, the Spanish governing body, by the midnight deadline.

• United angrily refuted those claims, arguing that they had proof that their paperwork was sent on time and that they had logged the documents with a FIFA timestamp.

• However, staff at the Spanish LFP said that United filed the paperwork in a format that could not be opened.

• Both clubs want the move to go through and are considering appealing to FIFA on Tuesday. 

Spanish newspaper AS claimed on Tuesday morning that Real Madrid's documents hadn't been filed until 28 minutes after the deadline.  

De Gea, for his part, was said to be ‘devastated’ after he flew into Madrid to complete the transfer. The goalkeeper, who was staying with his girlfriend Edurne Garcia in the Spanish capital on Monday night, has agreed a six-year deal with Real Madrid and was due to be presented at the Bernabeu at lunchtime on Tuesday.

United's transfer policy was in chaos heading into transfer deadline day with Javier Hernandez and Adnan Januzaj both leaving on Monday while Louis van Gaal is gambling on Monaco teen Anthony Martial in a deal that could rise to £58m. James Wilson is also set to depart on loan on Tuesday.

De Gea's switch to Madrid would see Keylor Navas (right) join Manchester United in part-exchange

Navas saved a penalty as Madrid ran out 5-0 winners against Real Betis in La Liga at the weekend

De Gea was staying with his girlfriend Edurne Garcia on Monday night as he awaited confirmation of his move

United are understood to have been anxious throughout the day that Madrid were too relaxed over the De Gea transfer after the Spanish side made only their first official offer on deadline day for La Liga.

De Gea’s powerful agent Jorge Mendes facilitated the negotiations as the two clubs brought an end to the posturing and, remarkably, held conducive talks for the very first time this summer.

The clubs finally thrashed out a deal on Monday afternoon when Madrid agreed to pay United £19m and allow Navas — valued at £10m — to head to Manchester as part of the deal. The total valuation of the deal was expressed as £29m by the two clubs.

De Gea, who joined United in 2011, was left dreading the prospect of having to return to Old Trafford until his contract expires next summer.

The Spaniard’s relationship with United manager Van Gaal and goalkeeping coach Frans Hoek is in tatters after the Dutchman Van Gaal accused De Gea of refusing to play for the club in the opening games of the Premier League season.