This archive report was first published on 16 July 2019.
Manchester United's pre-season tour of Australia has been marred by speculation over the futures of several key players, including goalkeeper David De Gea, who is in the final year of his contract.
However, according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the team's manager, there is optimism that De Gea will sign a new deal to remain at Old Trafford. Speaking on Tuesday, Solskjaer expressed his confidence in retaining the Spanish goalkeeper, saying, "He'll play and hopefully we can agree (on a new deal) with David, as I've said a few times."
De Gea was rested from United's pre-season opener against Perth Glory on Saturday but is expected to line up against Leeds on Wednesday, as the team wraps up their 10-day visit to Perth, Western Australia.
While Solskjaer refused to comment on the status of other transfer targets, including Leicester City and England centreback Harry Maguire, he emphasized the importance of performance in determining the team's lineup. "There's a limit of players and whoever performs will be part of the team and whoever doesn't they will have to fight to get back in," he said.
Manchester United will face Leeds in Perth on Wednesday, in a highly anticipated match that has been overshadowed by the rivalry between the two teams. The two clubs have a long history of competition, dating back to Leeds' relegation from the English Premier League in 2004.
United's pre-season tour has also been marked by speculation over the futures of other key players, including Romelu Lukaku, who is reportedly looking to secure a move to Inter Milan. However, Lukaku is set to play his first pre-season match against Leeds after recovering from a minor injury.
