United’s supporters, regardless of collective goodwill towards De Gea for his displays last season, are entitled to feel affronted by this stand-off. With the second leg of a Champions League qualifier to come, they would far rather see their 24-year-old star between the posts than the relatively untested Sergio Romero, especially when the only justification is that Real’s interest has unsettled him. This should never, by itself, be a pretext for not playing. For United to grant De Gea a form of compassionate leave simply to clear his head sets an alarming precedent. He ought to be told, in no uncertain terms, that his duties have precedence over his dreams.