David De Gea: Sergio Romero hopes Man Utd keeper stays

Sergio Romero (right) has been selected ahead of David De Gea so far this season

Sergio Romero hopes fellow goalkeeper David De Gea stays at Manchester United beyond this transfer window.

De Gea, 24, has one year left on his deal and the Spain international has been linked with a move to Real Madrid.

United boss Louis van Gaal has picked Romero, 28, ahead of De Gea for the first three games of this season, saying the latter is lacking "focus".

"I hope De Gea stays here. He's a good team-mate who always works hard," said the Argentina international.

"It surely is a difficult situation for him but when one is a great professional like he is, and one has a good head like his, you keep training to get better day by day because he could play on a weekend.

"It happened to me last year in Sampdoria. I was not playing but I was working as if I was going to play."

Romero joined United this summer on a free transfer after leaving the Italian club.

He has conceded only one goal in his three games so far - in the 3-1 Champions League play-off first-leg win over Club Brugge - and says he enjoys training alongside De Gea and another "fantastic" Spanish goalkeeper, 33-year-old Victor Valdes.

"One has won everything and the other has his career ahead of him to continue to win things," Romero added.

"For me it's a privilege and it makes me happy to work with those two."