WERE you one of those who used to leave their homework until the last possible minute?

I’d like to think I wasn’t but I can recall plenty of occasions when I was frantically trying to finish an essay with steam coming off the keyboard. A little bit like this column.

We’ve all been guilty of it and, following Tuesday’s transfer deadline day, it would appear someone at either Real Madrid or Manchester United is currently doing a major stint of detention.

Clubs famously chase deals until the last minute in the hope of stealing a march on their rivals but the Spanish giants have had the whole summer to do a deal for Old Trafford goalkeeper David de Gea.

In the end everything was left so late the whole thing collapsed.

Yet maybe there is more to this than meets the eye.

Despite the mud slinging from both clubs blaming each other for the deal falling through, United have never been that keen to sell. If they’d wanted to, they would have made sure and done it.

Now, one of the world’s best keepers remains their player.

Louis van Gaal is hardly likely to keep him out of the side and risk his value dropping.

If anything, he might persuade De Gea to sign a contract extension in the hope of pushing his price up if he remains intent on returning to his homeland.

Indeed, a United statement declared the club were delighted De Gea was staying.

That doesn’t sound like a club annoyed to have missed out on an £18 million fee plus Madrid keeper Keylor Navas.

Whoever, if anyone, was at fault, United are the winners here.

Maybe it was all a big game, a bit like what the transfer window has become.