by Our Sports Desk

PHIL NEVILLE said yesterday that he fears David de Gea will leave Manchester United this summer.

European champions Real Madrid have been monitoring De Gea’s contract negotiations with United and are ready to pounce if the Spaniard does not sign an extension to his current deal, which expires at the end of next season.

A fortnight ago manager Louis van Gaal said negotiations had been ongoing for “a long time,” but De Gea has yet to commit his future to United despite being offered “a lot of money,” in Van Gaal’s words.

And former United left-back Neville admits the club could lose their star goalkeeper at the end of the season.

“My biggest fear in the summer is David de Gea,” Neville told United’s official website.

“I want him tied up on a long-term contract.”

Although his form has tailed off slightly of late, De Gea has enjoyed a fine season for United and was named in the PFA team of the year last month.

Few would have thought De Gea would turn into such a formidable goalkeeper at the start of his time at Old Trafford when he made a number of costly errors.

But, four years on from his debut, the former Atletico Madrid stopper now ranks among the greatest goalkeepers in the club’s recent history, according to Neville.

“He is the best around. He has won Manchester United games, he is up there with (Edwin) Van der Sar and (Peter) Schmeichel in terms of winning games so that would be my one worry this summer.”