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MANCHESTER — The David de Gea saga has taken another twist after the Manchester United goalkeeper was said to be ‘‘baffled’’ by claims from manager Louis van Gaal that he has asked not to play for the club.

De Gea was again absent from the line-up when United met Aston Villa in their second game of the season last night and did not travel to the Midlands with the squad.

Van Gaal has said that De Gea will not be considered for selection until the transfer window closes because he has been unsettled by constant speculation over a move to Real Madrid.

The United boss claimed that De Gea told his goalkeeping coach Frans Hoek in a meeting last week that he did not want to play in the opening game against Tottenham, saying: ‘‘We’ve talked with him. He agreed fully with our decision.

‘‘I have one assistant coach and another assistant coach so we speak about that kind of thing. We have a goalkeeping coach, Frans Hoek — I’m not doing everything alone.

‘‘Frans Hoek had a meeting with David De Gea and asked him “do you want to play?”. No.

‘‘Then I have to take the decision. It is a process. We had been observing him in preparation and he was not so good. He was not the same David de Gea as before.

‘‘He was my best player last season. According to the fans, he was the best of the last two years.’’

United have moved to clarify Van Gaal’s comments by saying that De Gea was not eager to play because of the uncertainty over his future and ‘‘was not 100 per cent focussed’’.

Sources close to De Gea have confirmed that the meeting with Hoek took place, but refuted any suggestion that he asked to be left out against Spurs and Villa. Indeed, they say that he made it clear to Hoek that he wanted to play if selected and was subsequently disappointed to be sat in the directors’ box alongside Victor Valdes and Anders Lindegaard on Saturday.

They described De Gea as having a ‘‘completely clear conscience’’ and insisted that it was Van Gaal’s decision to select new signing Sergio Romero for his debut against Spurs. The Argentine kept a clean sheet and is expected to start at Villa with young Sam Johnstone once again on the bench.

De Gea is said to be ‘‘baffled’’ by Van Gaal’s comments and concerned that his professionalism and commitment to training appear to be in question. — Mailonline.