But it would leave Europe’s biggest hitters believing they could get the Spain No 1 in the summer.
De Gea has been offered a five-year, £375,000-a-week deal, including various clean sheet add-ons, which would put only Alexis Sanchez ahead in Old Trafford pay stakes.
Yet De Gea has still not signed — and United have set an end-of-year deadline after finally running out of patience.
If he continues to delay, the likes of Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain will think they can grab him at the end of the season.
United were expected to take up a 12-month extension when his deal expires in the summer.
But De Gea’s reluctance to sign leaves them facing a huge decision.
If he is ready to head into next season with no new deal, United would have to sell to ensure a hefty fee — or risk losing him for nothing.
Agent Jorge Mendes has made regular trips to Manchester, but pen and paper remain a distance apart.
The goalkeeper has been United’s player of the year four times in the past five seasons and is recognised by plenty as better even than Peter Schmeichel.
De Gea has been called on to save his side far more than Schmeichel had to — and is the reason above all others why United are even in the Champions League.
United could handle losing Mourinho and being without Paul Pogba would not be an insurmountable problem.
But how they would cope without De Gea does not bear thinking about.
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