Real Madrid's Keylor Navas has whole host of summer suitors
Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas has been told by Real Madrid that he is no longer in the LaLiga club's plans.
Keylor Navas is not short on suitors. The goalkeeper, who has been told by Real Madrid that he is not in their plans for next season, is attracting attention from Manchester United and two of Portugal's biggest clubs, while Paris Saint-Germain have also become an option for the Costa Rican in the wake of Gianluigi Buffon's departure from the Ligue 1 champions.
With Porto's interest already well documented, the Liga NOS club have been joined in the chase for Navas by newly-crowned champions Benfica, say reports in the Portuguese media. Meanwhile, United's admiration for the 32-year-old is long-standing - indeed, he almost went to Old Trafford as part of Madrid's failed move for David de Gea in 2015 - and he could again be used as a makeweight in negotiations with the Red Devils. According to The Times, Navas is, together with Gareth Bale and James Rodríguez, a prime candidate to be offered to United by Los Blancos as a means of bringing down the asking price for midfield target Paul Pogba.
Porto, Benfica have less money, but are in Champions League
A possible move to Portugal comes up against one chief stumbling block: money. Navas is currently on 5m euros net a year at Madrid, a wage that is out of reach for both Benfica and Porto. However, that issue could be solved if, as they did when selling Iker Casillas to the Dragoes in 2015, Madrid continued to pick up part of his salary. Meanwhile, the Portuguese clubs' ability to tempt the former Levante man is boosted by the fact they can both offer him Champions League football next term - a card which United are not in a position to play.
Money is certainly not a problem at United, though. In 2016, after all, they were able to sign Pogba for a then-world-record fee of 105m euros despite not being in Europe's top club tournament and, at least in the short term, appear capable of remaining a money-making machine even without the financial boost of the competition. On the field, meanwhile, United can offer Navas participation in an attractive, elite-standard domestic league even if, on the continental stage, they have had to drop down into the Europa League.
Navas and De Gea both being tipped for PSG
Having almost swapped places with Navas four years ago, current United number one De Gea's future at Old Trafford is once more in doubt. Despite the 20-time English champions' efforts to tie him down to a new deal, the Spaniard is stalling on signing fresh terms and, like Navas, is being tipped for a switch to PSG. The Parisians are a club who are also financially well off... but who, in contrast to United, will be in the Champions League next season.