De Gea happy with life at Manchester United after summer transfer saga

With the drama from a summer rife with transfer rumours behind him, David De Gea is reveling in life at Manchester United.

The Spanish netminder was at the centre of a transfer saga that persisted throughout the summer, and ultimately saw a move to Real Madrid fall apart at the eleventh hour.

De Gea was thought to have been eager to complete the move after United manager Louis van Gaal left him off numerous team sheets in anticipation of a move to La Liga. But with the passing of the deadline, De Gea, with a new deal through 2019 in hand, is loving life in front of the Old Trafford faithful.

"I felt in that moment that to extend my contract was the best thing to do," De Gea told ESPN Deportes, with translation from ESPNFC. "I'm really happy now, at one of the biggest clubs in the world, where I feel loved by the fans.

"Nobody let me down or disappointed me - these are things that happen. You must look forward, and I am very happy now.

"During the market anything can happen, it can all change inside a minute. Football is like that. There were difficult moments, strange moments, but they help you to mature. To be stronger."

Proving there's no ill will between the two, De Gea revealed his admiration for Van Gaal and the team's efforts to perform at his expected level.

"(He is) a hard and strong coach, but that is what we also try to transmit out on the pitch - that aggression and that attitude the coach has. He is very methodical, and in the end things are going well for us," he said.

United finds itself in fourth position in the table through 12 games, and just two points back of the league leaders, Arsenal and Manchester City. De Gea has been a major part of the team's success after recording clean sheets during his last five matches in all competitions.