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MANCHESTER. — Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal believes goalkeeper David de Gea may yet play for the club again despite being dropped for their opening-day English Premier League victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

Spain international De Gea was not included in United’s squad for Saturday’s 1-0 win at Old Trafford and watched from the directors’ box after Van Gaal decided he was not sufficiently focused amid ongoing speculation about a transfer to Real Madrid.

Van Gaal instead put his faith in Sergio Romero, who joined United on a free transfer in the close season after his release from Sampdoria, and he made a number of vital saves on his debut as United kept a clean sheet.

However, Van Gaal dismissed suggestions that De Gea had played his last game for the club and revealed that the 24-year-old had agreed that he was not in the right frame of mind to feature against Spurs.

“Can he (De Gea) play for United again? Of course,” said the Dutchman.

“The position of the goalkeeper is a position especially that you needed the highest concentration and the highest focus during 90 minutes.

“And when you are in circumstances where David de Gea is, it is difficult to cope with that. And we have seen that.

“We have observed in the preparation, in the matches against PSG and Barcelona. And that was not the David de Gea – and he felt the same – as last year.” — AFP.