Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho insisted it made "no sense" for the Premier League giants to sell reported Real Madrid target David de Gea.

De Gea, 27, continues to be linked with a switch to the LaLiga giants, having almost joined Madrid in mid-2015.

But Mourinho said he had no plans for United to sell their best players, with De Gea contracted at Old Trafford until next year.

"Do you think a club that is trying to attract the best players is the club that is open to sell the best players? It makes no sense," he said.

"If you want to go to that level you have to attract the best players like we did with Alexis [Sanchez], [Nemanja] Matic and [Paul] Pogba and so on.

"And don't let our best players go."

De Gea has helped Mourinho's side into second in the Premier League ahead of their trip to Newcastle United on Sunday.