Real Madrid's goalkeeping debate: Casillas, Navas, De Gea
The goalkeeping position at Real Madrid has never caused a problem. There were always two good keepers. Everyone knew who was number 1 and who was his deputy. There was no debate about who started in goals for Real Madrid. During the history of Los Blancos a number of great goalkeepers ended up hardly playing, accepting their role as a back-up.
Casillas: Real Madrid’s number 1
That was the situation too over the past 15 years, with Iker Casillas in control as the goalkeeper at the Bernabéu. The club did though have an on-going search for a second keeper who would be a safe pair of hands for a few cup games and to cover a possible injury, with various names coming in and leaving again.
Iker in the end, was picked on by a section of the Real Madrid fans, poisoned by the false, ridiculous accusations of the club captain being a mole or a a traitor. Or, even worse, both. The only way to deal with the situation was for Casillas to leave. Once he’d gone the situation calmed down. David de Gea would be the keeper for the next 10 years and all would be well in the Real Madrid goals… except we all know how that turned out, don’t we.
Keylor Navas: competent but not the one
Navas has performed well as Real Madrid’s number 1, with Casilla as his back-up; but neither are considered by the club’s management to be THE type of goalkeeper Real Madrid have always had and who will be between the sticks at the Bernabéu for many seasons to come. I think this summer the club will be on the offensive again to bring in such a keeper, and one of the two, Navas or Casilla, will be on his way.
The news this morning was that Real Madrid would still be able to bring in De Gea this summer for 50 million euros, but they have to move fairly fast.
Real Madrid: goalkeeper up for sale
If the club want money, it’ll be Keylor who’ll be sold. He’s done well and his value has risen. The problem Real Madrid have is that De Gea now has at Manchester United what he was being offered by Los Blancos: recognition and heaps of cash.
And elsewhere in the market there are few better than what Real Madrid have now. Maybe the club will have to wait a couple of seasons… something they’re not accustomed to doing.