REAL MADRID
How Real Madrid could eventually replace Thibaut Courtois
The club are planning to sign Courtois’ eventual replacement and they are not confident that Lunin will agree to stay as a substitute.
Real Madrid are already planning for life after Thibaut Courtois, who will be 32 in May and has a contract at the club until 2026. Two factors have led Madrid to start the first phase of the process to bring in a new goalkeeper. The first is the uncertainty around Andriy Lunin’s (24) situation. The Ukrainian is currently battling with Kepa to be the first-choice goalkeeper at the Bernabéu.
Lunin has spent more than a year thinking about finding another club where he can play consistently and has a contract at Madrid until 2025. Madrid do not have it all their own way and if Lunin’s request to be sold during the summer transfer window comes to fruition, it would accelerate the signing of a new goalkeeper to next summer.
On Madrid’s books is Fran González (18) from León, a top talent (1.99 metres tall) who is performing well for Álvaro Arbeloa’s youth side.
Kepa’s situation
The second factor that is driving the search for a goalkeeper is Kepa’s contract situation. The 29-year-old Basque came in as a replacement for Courtois and Madrid initially did not rule out trying to keep him once his loan expires on 30 June, but he is finding it hard to grab the No 1 spot from Lunin.
Madrid are not considering paying a transfer fee for him and Chelsea, who paid €80 million for him at the time, are not going to sell the Spanish international cheaply. Kepa is also just two years and five months younger than Courtois.
Looking in South America
Madrid are monitoring prospects on both sides of the pond. As reported by AS, they are following Uruguayan goalkeeper Randall Rodríguez (20) of Peñarol, who is a promising Uruguay U-23 international.
In Madrid’s recent history, only two goalkeepers have come from South America: Albano Bizzarri and Keylor Navas, and only the former came directly from a South American club (Racing in Argentina). Navas had shown his worth at Spanish side Levante.
Madrid are working with a certain timeframe, but they want to have the potential heir to Courtois signed in advance. Under no circumstances will the club follow the Premier League in recent years (€80m for Kepa, €62m for Alisson, €52m for Onana) and even less so in a position that is currently well covered.