Begovic, Courtois and Real Madrid's Goalkeeping Options for Next Season
Wednesdayโs revelation that Real Madrid could make a summer swoop for Asmir Begovic only reinforces what we already know: The Primera Division leaders would prefer to revamp their goalkeeping situation ahead of next season.
According to the Telegraph, Madrid are hoping to prise Begovic from Premier League side Stoke City after the World Cup, where the 26-year-old will be representing Bosnia-Herzegovina. The reported fee is ยฃ15 million, which hardly seems exorbitant for a player who could end up tending the nets for six or seven seasons.
However, Madrid have other options as well. In the following slides, weโll examine five (actually six) potential goalkeepers who could end up backstopping Los Blancos in 2014-15.ย
5. Keylor Navas, Levante
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Keylor Navas will almost certainly leave Levante during the summer.
According to AS (h/tย Football Espana), the 27-year-old Costa Rica international has resisted putting pen to paper on a new contract at the Valencia club, while Mundo Deportivo (h/tย Inside Spanish Football) has already linked him to both Sevilla and AC Milan.
One of La Ligaโs standout goalkeepers so far this season, Navas could conceivably join Real Madrid for as little as โฌ10 millionโhis current buy-out clause.
4. Thibaut Courtois, Atletico Madrid
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Last week, Thibaut Courtois reportedly told Spanish radio station Cadena SER (h/t Inside Spanish Football)ย that he had an agreement in place to join Real Madrid in 2016.
He has since denied the report, saying such rumours were concocted to โdestabiliseโ current club Atletico Madrid, according toย AS (h/t The Independent). However, his reputation as one of European footballโs best goalkeepers will always have him linked to one of the continentโs biggest clubs.
At this point, itโs difficult to see the Belgium international making the switch to local rivals Real, but the fact the rumours are out there indicates itโs not outside the realm of possibility.
Stranger things have happened.ย
3. Diego Lopez/Iker Casillas
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Naturally, one of Madridโs options is to stay the course with their current arrangement, which has Diego Lopez and Iker Casillas sharing duties.
Both goalkeepers have been absolutely outstanding so far this season. With the club doing well in La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, it would hardly be a surprise if they looked to retain the duo for at least another season.
Of course, whether Lopez and Casillas would be willing to return is another matter altogether.
Italian outlet Tuttosport (h/t AS)ย has already speculated that Lopez could be on his way to AC Milan.ย Meanwhile, a Madrid icon, Casillasย would no doubt prefer to regain the No. 1 job on a full-time basis.
Their decisions will have everything to do with the course Madrid choose to take over the next few months.ย
2. Asmir Begovic, Stoke City
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Count Peter Coates among the crowd that consider Asmir Begovic to be the best goalkeeper in English football.
โI firmly believe Asmir has proven over the last few years that heโs the best goalkeeper in the Premier League,โ the Stoke City chairman told theย Telegraph. โHeโs ambitious and wants to play at as high a level as he can.โ
That ambition could well take the Bosnia-Herzegovina international to Real Madrid during the summer, although the Potters will no doubt look to drive up his price before they let him go.ย
1. Kiko Casilla, Espanyol
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Heโs not โCasillas,โ but heโs only a letter off.
Espanyol goalkeeper Kiko Casilla has played all 27 matches for the ninth-placed side so far this season, recording eight clean sheets and stopping 89 percent of shots faced, according to statistics from The Score.
Current teammate Raul Rodriguez told Goal.comย the 27-year-old โhas the ability to play for Real Madrid,โ and a switch to the Bernabeu would be a homecoming of sorts for Casilla, who played in Madridโs youth system between 2004 and 2007.ย
