Soccer shots: De Gea signs new four-year United contract

Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has signed a new four-year contract, the club said on Friday, a week after a proposed transfer to Real Madrid collapsed.

The Spain international, 24, almost joined Madrid on transfer deadline day, but the deal fell through as the necessary paperwork was not filed in time and the clubs blamed each other for the bureaucratic failure.

His previous deal was set to expire at the end of the season, and he had been widely expected to join Madrid on a free transfer next year.

His decision to commit his future to United will give the club a timely boost ahead of Saturday's clash at home to rivals Liverpool.

“I am delighted to be starting this new chapter in my United career," De Gea said in a statement on the club website (www.manutd.com).

"I have always enjoyed playing with these great players in front of our fantastic fans. Manchester United is a special club and Old Trafford is an ideal place for me to continue to develop my career.

"I’m looking forward to putting a difficult summer behind me and concentrating on working hard to improve and help my team mates to be successful.”

De Gea was left out of United's opening games of the season, with manager Louis van Gaal openly questioning whether the player could deal mentally with the ongoing speculation.

Argentina international Sergio Romero was installed as first-choice keeper and kept three clean sheets in the league before being criticised following a 2-1 defeat by SwanseaCity.

Van Gaal has yet to confirm whether De Gea will be brought back into the side for Saturday's home clash with Liverpool.

He was the man-of-the-match when the sides met last year, making a string of superb saves as United won 3-0, the first part of a league double over the Merseysiders.

“I am absolutely delighted David has signed a new contract. He is one of the best goalkeepers in world football," manager Louis van Gaal said.

"I am very pleased that he will be part of the team for many years to come.”

Chelsea keeper Courtois ruled out for 'long time'

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois needs knee surgery and will be out for "quite a long time," manager Jose Mourinho said on Friday.

The 23-year-old Belgium international will miss the champions' Premier League game at Everton on Saturday and the start of their Champions League group campaign.

Bosnian Asmir Begovic, signed from StokeCity this year, will replace Courtois who sustained the injury in training.

"I cannot tell you much but I can tell you he needs surgery in his right knee and will be out for quite a long time," Mourinho told reporters.

"The doctors have to be more specific but I think today we will be ready to give out more information.

"It is a big blow, it is not easy to have the best goalkeeper in the world injured but it's easy to have one of the best in the world to play and we have Begovic to play," Mourinho added.

"I'm very sad for Thibaut and the team but we have a top keeper -- Begovic will be in goal."

Chelsea, who sold long-time first-choice keeper Petr Cech to Arsenal in June, have made a disappointing start to the season, taking four points from their first four matches to fall eight points behind leaders Manchester City.

Pellegrini, Ayew win Premier League monthly awards

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini and SwanseaCity summer recruit Andre Ayew have bagged the Premier League manager and player of the month awards respectively for August.

Pellegrini's side have won all their four games, including an impressive 3-0 win over champions Chelsea, and have also scored 10 goals, more than any club in the league.

City are also the only club this season to have not conceded a single goal in their campaign.

The club, who finished eight points behind Chelsea last season, have already been tipped as favourites to win the title but Pellegrini said such talk was premature.

"We are very pleased with the start but we are not thinking about what we are going to do at the end of the season," the 61-year-old Chilean told the club's website (www.mcfc.co.uk).

"The highlight was the way we played. It's important to continue the style of football; the team won the four games in the way I like to play.

"If we think that because we won the last four games we are going to win the next one, we are going to make a big mistake."

Swansea's Ayew, who arrived on a free transfer, has made a fantastic start to life in England, scoring three goals and provided an assist in four games.

The 25-year-old Ayew thanked the whole team for the award.

"It's a great feeling, but this award comes from hard work and support by the whole squad," the former Marseille winger told the Swans' website (www.swanseacity.net).

"It's more of a collective award rather than an individual award because we've worked very hard from pre-season until now."