Javier Tebas, a qualified lawyer, has suggested that the English outfit should take most of the blame for the late arrival of necessary documentation
La Liga president Javier Tebas has claimed that Real Madrid’s explanation of the collapse of David De Gea’s move to the Santiago Bernabeu is a “closer version” of the truth than Manchester United’s.
Madrid and United agreed a player-plus-cash deal for De Gea on Monday that would have seen Los Blancos pay £29 million (€39.4m) for the Spain international and Keylor Navas move in the opposite direction.
However, the transfer sensationally collapsed, with both clubs blaming the other for failing to send the requisite documentation before the close of the summer window in Spain.
Tebas has now weighed into the argument, suggesting that United were the more culpable party.
“I am a lawyer and I know that in these situations there are two, three or four versions of events,” he is quoted as saying by As.
“As far as La Liga is concerned it is a handicap that De Gea is not here. I would have liked to see him play in La Liga because he is a Spanish goalkeeper and an excellent one but due to the circumstances that unfolded it wasn’t to be.
“What happened, as far as I know, is closest to the version given by Real Madrid.”
However, Tebas explained that there was nothing La Liga could do to help resolve the situation and he denied that Madrid attempted to put any pressure on the organisation to do so.
“As far as the LFP is concerned there is no David de Gea case because the player has not been registered for the competition and the necessary documentation was not presented in the stipulated time,” he added.
“I had a conversation with Real Madrid, they rang me on Monday night. They gave me their explanations but in the knowledge that the deadline had been missed. They know how it works.
“I didn’t feel any pressure. Madrid explained their situation after midnight. I understood their position and that of the player but there was nothing I could do.
“They didn’t call to ask for any kind of special treatment because Madrid understand the rules.”