David de Gea is set to stay with Manchester United next season, according to the player’s agent Jorge Mendes.

“He has one year left on his contract and I think that he will stay in Manchester,” Mendes said during an interview with the BBC. “The player will decide, but he’s happy there, at the moment.”

While no official statement has come from the club regarding a contract renewal and the goalkeeper himself has yet to confirm a new deal, Mendes comments are the clearest indication that United’s current number one will remain at Old Trafford for the near future.

De Gea has been the subject of transfer speculation with his contract set to expire at the end of next season.

According to numerous reports, the Spain international has been targeted by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez as his future number one goalkeeper.

But with Carlo Ancelotti already boasting Iker Casillas (whose contract ends in June 2017) and Keylor Navas (contract expires in 2020) in his squad, there doesn’t appear to be room for De Gea in Madrid – for now.

De Gea’s girlfriend, the Spanish pop singer Edurne, lives and works out of Madrid, and speculation is the 24-year-old would eventually like to return to Spain.

In all likelihood, the goalkeeper will re-sign with United and have a release clause added to his new deal. The fee to extract the Spaniard will be high enough to dissuade most clubs, but won’t exceed the amount Real Madrid would be willing to pay – should Perez continue with his interest in the player.

United are reportedly willing to make De Gea the highest-paid goalkeeper in the world. The club would pay the Spaniard as much as £180,000-a-week to remain at Old Trafford. Officials would like the player’s new deal to keep him in Manchester until 2020.

Negotiations have dragged on for months, with the latest snag being Mendes’ insistence on a release clause – believed to be in access of £50 million.

To his credit, De Gea has never publically commented on his contract renewal and has stated his is happy playing for United.

Following Mendes’ comments to the BBC, a statement from United regarding De Gea’s renewal could be imminent.