But it collapsed because of not being officially registered before the close of the Spanish transfer window on Aug. 31.
"I was waiting at the airport in a private room which was what I was told I had to do," Navas told Spanish radio.
"It was at a point where every five minutes things changed: that I should go to the airport, that I shouldn’t go. There was nothing clear and I wasn’t relaxed until everything was over.
"When everything passed and I went to my room with my wife, I started to think about what happened, I just cracked up.
"They were moments that I hope will not happen again because they were not good.
"I cried with my wife and decided that I needed to sort it out so I went to speak with the president (Florentino Perez)."
Following the breakdown in the deal, De Gea signed a new contract for United while Navas, given the backing of the Madrid club, has gone on to make a record-breaking start to the season for Real and is yet to concede a goal after five games.
He has already bettered the previous best start by a Real keeper when Miguel Angel kept four clean sheets at the start of the 1975-76 season.
There were also four at the start of the 1957-58 campaign but then two keepers, Rogelio Dominguez and Juanito Alonso, were used.
"I never wanted to leave Madrid. Since I arrived it was my dream to be here," Navas added. "At the same time I had the fact that I was not able to play three consecutive games and that was a problem."
He aims to extend his record run against Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Wednesday with Real on 10 points, two behind unbeaten leaders Barcelona, who face Celta Vigo.
(Reporting by Tim Hanlon, Editing by Steve Tongue)
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