Gary Neville believes Manchester United need to pin down a big deal to keep David de Gea

Gary Neville has warned Manchester United to sew up a deal for David de Gea sooner rather than later.

The former United full back singled out the Louis van Gaal's number 1 for his maturity in the past few years. “We are now seeing a huge improvement in his game. He has always been a great shot stopper, he has been like that from day one,” Neville said on Monday Night Football. “However, there are four other areas where he has greatly improved his game, the first being dealing with crosses, which I still think is his main challenge." “This season there is a massive improvement on his intent. He is now catching and dominating. Incredibly, he has made just one punch, against Arsenal, all season." “However, the one mistake that he has made all season was against West Ham, when he came and flapped a little bit at a cross. So it is still probably the one part of his game where he needs to improve on. “But if you look at the improvements he has made from where he was three years ago, it is absolutely staggering." Gary Neville highlighted the reliance that United's defence has on their stopper and believes that a new deal for the Spaniard needs to be put in place before potential suitors, such as Real Madrid, come calling with a big money offer.

"He has now become a great goalkeeper, a fantastic goalkeeper."

He continued: "Manchester United are ranked third in the league in the most errors leading to shots but in errors leading to goals they're the best in the league because their goalkeeper pulls them out of the mire every single time.

“Manchester United now need to get him signed up as he has become a big, big player for them, and when you get a goalkeeper like that, you have to keep hold of him.”