Sergio Romero has insisted that he wants David de Gea to stay at Manchester United even though it could hamper his playing time.
The Argentine recently signed a four-year contract at Old Trafford, but his teammate's future is more uncertain.
It is believed that United are bracing themselves for a bid from Real Madrid for De Gea, whose proposed move to the Bernabeu collapsed in 2015.
"Since I came to this team, I said I need to compete with David because in that way we can keep the competition level high," Romero told ESPN. "I don't want him to leave. We are friends. And if he stays here, it will help me to be better."
Manager Jose Mourinho put faith in Romero in the closing stages of last season, and opted to keep the shot-stopper in between the sticks for the Europa League final, which United won in Stockholm.