After being widely ridiculed for their failure to sign David de Gea before Monday's Spanish transfer deadline, Real Madrid have released a statement detailing the timeline of events.
They appear to put the blame on Manchester United for the breakdown of the move, suggesting that the English club dragged their heels on transferring the official documents.
Here is the statement in full (using our best translation skills)...
'After the events of yesterday in relation to the alleged hiring of David de Gea, Real Madrid wishes to state:
'1. Manchester United did not open negotiations until yesterday morning.
'2. Real Madrid, despite the difficulties of arranging a transfer on the last day of registration, agreed to initiate these conversations.
'3. When Manchester United entered negotiations, they insisted on Keylor Navas being included in the deal, and made contact with the player's representatives.
'4. Real Madrid and Manchester United reached a rapid agreement on the transfer of both players. After the drafting of the relevant contractual documents, Real Madrid sent them to Manchester United at 1.39pm (Spanish time).
'5. Manchester United sent its comments on the contracts eight hours later, at 9.43pm Spanish time, including minor modifications. Not being relevant, all changes were accepted immediately by Real Madrid, with the intention to register the player with both TMS (FIFA's registration system) and the Professional Football League.
'6. After gaining the signatures of Keylor Navas and De Gea, Real Madrid sent the English club the signed contracts at 11.32pm Spanish time, and waited to receive the final documents signed by Manchester United.
'7. Manchester United reached the final agreement with representatives of Keylor Navas at 11.53pm Spanish time - and is at that time when the contracts were sent to the player to be signed.
'8. Manchester United entered the TMS data for David de Gea, not those of Keylor Navas, at 00:00 Spanish time, simultaneously referring the signed contracts to Real Madrid. Real Madrid receives the full documentation at 00:02 and tries to access the TMS but it was already closed.
'9. At 00:26 Spanish time the computer system of FIFA TMS makes an invitation to Real Madrid to file player data for David de Gea, given that the deadline for registration in England remains open to this day.
Real Madrid, knowing they now faced difficulties with the transfer, decided to refer the contract to the Professional Football League, even knowing that the deadlines had expired.
'10. In short, the Real Madrid has made everything you need, and at all times, to carry out these two transfers.'
