De Gea has been touted to join the Spanish giants all summer long but with United and Madrid failing to agree on a fee for the goalkeeper, the transfer saga has seemingly dragged on forever.
With only a few days remaining before the end of the transfer window, it was unclear as to whether the deal would take place at all but now United boss van Gaal has dropped a huge hint that the goalkeeper will finally be joining Madrid.
Van Gaal said after the defeat against Swansea City on Sunday: "I don't know. You can ask about all the players but you will have to wait and see until Manchester United make an announcement or the club where he is going to makes an announcement. Otherwise he stays. We have to wait and see.
"I don't want to interfere. As a manager we have divided our tasks and the task is for Ed Woodward and not for me. I don't want to interfere with words. I have said nothing about transfer the only thing I have said it is a process. The club shall announce it when it is finished and so on.
"We have coped with the situation by buying Romero. That is what we have done to settle down that issue. We have done it well."
