Jose Mourinho has refused to rule out the potential sale of goalkeeper David de Gea to Real Madrid, instead claiming that he is “big friends” with the Bernabeu club's hierarchy, adding that any potential transfer dealings between the two clubs will be “direct” and not conducted “through the press”.

As the Independent revealed on Thursday, Real are poised to return for De Gea in the summer and have already made tentative contact with his entourage.

And according to the Madrid-based sports daily Marca — which boasts notoriously high-placed sources at the La Liga giants — De Gea has a €65 million (£55.3m) release clause in his contract, which club president Florentino Pérez is thought to be willing to activate.

When quizzed on the rumours during his weekly press conference, Mourinho notably stopped short of denying a potential summer transfer saga, instead admitting that he retains close links with Perez and his director general, Jose Angel Sanchez.

“With Mr Perez and his right arm Jose Angel Sanchez, they are some of the people in football about whom I can say: I did not work for them and then it is over,” Mourinho admitted.

“I can say that we are friends forever, big friends. I like them a lot. And friends speak, friends are open, friends are honest.”

Mourinho has said that he is "friends forever ... big friends" with Madrid president Perez (Getty Images)

Mourinho, whose side entertain 10th-place Watford at Old Trafford on Saturday, then confirmed that any transfer dealings between the two clubs would be “direct”.

“So if at the end of the season I want one of their players or they want one of our players, we will not do it through the press," Mourinho said. "It is not through the press that we are going to exchange messages.

“We will be very direct. So they are one of the clubs that I am not worried about at all.”

When quizzed more directly about De Gea’s future at Old Trafford, Mourinho was keen to stress that he maintains a strong relationship with the 26-year old.

“The only thing that is real is that he is my player, I am happy with him I know that he is happy with me and there is nothing else absolutely nothing else,” Mourinho added.

“I have nothing to say because I am not going to speak about hypothetical things.”

De Gea has been linked with a move to the Bernabeu since 2015, when the two clubs successfully negotiated a deal for the Spanish international only for the transfer to collapse in the closing hours of the summer transfer window.

"The future, nobody knows," De Gea told Spanish sports daily AS (Getty Images)

Speculation has continued ever since and has intensified in recent weeks, with De Gea himself appearing to hint at a possible move in a pointedly non-committal interview with Spanish newspaper AS this week.

"The future, nobody knows. The future is the future,” De Gea said.

“But I'm very happy here, it's a great club. In England, football is enjoyed a lot.

"I’m not going to talk about [Real Madrid]. I‘m not going to talk about that subject now. I just have to keep focused on my club."

Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Kasper Schmeichel – 4 out of 10 The goalkeeper was a victim of United’s prolific strike force. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Danny Simpson – 5 out of 10 Caught out of position regularly and struggled to keep up with the winger's pace. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Wes Morgan – 6 out of 10 Kept Rashford relatively quiet, but was too motionless at times. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Robert Huth – 5 out of 10 His lack of pace allowed United’s forwards to burst through the defence on several occasions. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Christian Fuchs – 4 out of 10 Too static throughout and lacked effort. Though, he made a good tackle at the end to deny Mkhitaryan. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Danny Drinkwater – 4 out of 10 Certainly needs some shooting practice – wasted far too many chances in front of goal. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Wilfred Ndidi – 6 out of 10 Read the game well and caused United a problem when he ran with the ball. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Riyad Mahrez – 6 out of 10 When he received the ball, he made a nuisance of himself and looked confident in possession. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Shinji Okazaki – 4 out of 10 Saw very little of the ball – subbed at half time. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Ahmed Musa - 5 out of 10 Enticed a number of fouls from United, but these set pieces were usually wasted. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Jamie Vardy – 5 out of 10 Held the ball up well at times, but lacked so service so he failed to make an impact. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings David De Gea – 5 out of 10 A very quiet afternoon for the keeper, with few chances coming his way. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Antonio Valencia – 7 out of 10 Created a number of United moves and assisted Ibrahimovic’s goal. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Eric Bailly – 6 out of 10 A disciplined display – remained relatively untested throughout. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Chris Smalling – 7 out of 10 Was a rock at the back today and assisted Mkhitaryan’s goal. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Marcos Rojo – 5 out of 10 Gave away a number of unnecessary fouls. Subbed at half time. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Juan Mata – 6 out of 10 Deserved his goal, but he was arguably lucky to remain on the pitch after his sliding challenge that earnt him a yellow. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Ander Herrera – 6 out of 10 It was a mediocre display by a man of such ability. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Paul Pogba – 6 out of 10 Aside from the occasional burst forward, he did not have a huge impact on the United attacks. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 8 out of 10 He looked at home in the number 10 role. Read the game well, worked relentlessly and deserved his goal. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Marcus Rashford – 6 out of 10 Missed a great chance early in the first half. Was kept relatively quiet for the majority. Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 player ratings Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 7 out of 10 Bagged his 20th goal of the season, created chances and made a nuisance of himself throughout.

Mourinho meanwhile told reporters that he "knows exactly the players I want" ahead of the summer transfer window, and that he would remain pragmatic as his rebuilding project continues.

“I know the players I want,” he said. “Of course at the start it is about the quality of the players we want but sooner or later it has to end in the players we want.

“I try always to be objective and not to participate in trying to bring in players that are impossible.

“I am not going to tell Mr. Woodward and Mr.Glazer ‘bring me Messi’. Do not spend the time until 31st August… so I am always objective.