Real Madrid Transfer News: World Stars Lined Up by Los Blancos, Latest Rumours
Real Madrid will look to sign Espanyol goalkeeper Kiko Casilla this summer, with Los Blancos reportedly growing increasingly frustrated in their pursuit of Manchester United’s David De Gea.
That’s according to Alberto Pinero of Goal.com, who claims that the pursuit of Casilla, a former Real player, has “cast doubt” over a possible transfer for the Red Devils man. The piece goes on to outline the latest developments in what’s becoming an increasingly complex goalkeeping situation at the Santiago Bernabeu:
"The Spanish giants are ready to sanction the sale of club stalwart Iker Casillas to Porto and are now determined to acquire Casilla this summer to replace the Porto-bound World Cup winner.
Madrid still own 50 per cent of the 28-year-old former academy graduate's rights and the clause means that Rafael Benitez’s men will be forced to pay, at most, just half of his €20 million release fee.
The decision to make his recruitment a top priority means the board will either drop the pursuit of Manchester United's De Gea or sell Keylor Navas.
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Replacing Iker Casillas between the sticks for Real is going to be a massive ask. Not only has the Spaniard been a tremendous goalkeeper down the years, but he’s the leader of this Los Blancos side and a man that has inspired them to various titles down the years.
Casilla may not be the figure many would have initially picked to fill such a void, but as we can see here courtesy of WhoScored.com, he certainly has pedigree:
De Gea is surely the most desirable candidate, though. Having been born in Madrid, there will be emotive ties to the Santiago Bernabeu club and after developing into one of the very best goalkeepers in world football at Old Trafford, he has both the talent and temperament to ease the transition from the era of Casillas.
As we can see here courtesy of AS English, he’d be a popular purchase with the Madridistas too:
It’s shrewd of Madrid to make contingency plans, though. Casilla is a clearly a very capable goalkeeper, well acquainted with both the league and the football club. But he’s not a star name and when it comes to a team as glamorous as Los Blancos, that’s unusual.
De Gea would be a marquee purchase for Real and a player that’d fill the spot between the sticks for a decade if needed. With just a year remaining on his contract with the Red Devils, perhaps the Spanish giants are willing to bid their time, back Casilla for now and pick up the former Atletico Madrid man on a free transfer next summer.
Fernando Llorente to Snub Real Interest
According to Tuttosport (h/t Metro and Adam Skinner of the Daily Express), a £10.7 million fee has been agreed between Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus for Fernando Llorente.
The piece claims that the Spanish international striker is “ready to accept” the offer despite links to Real Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal. The former Athletic Club man would be struggling for playing time with the Bianconeri after their captures of Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic.
Here’s a look at the kind of quality Llorente can potentially add to a team:
It’s understandable that the striker has opted for Spurs. Of all the aforementioned teams, they’d be able to afford the Spaniard greater reassurances when it comes to playing time and, according to his agent, that’s what Llorente is looking for next season.
“Fernando wants to be playing regularly so that he doesn’t lose his place in the Spain national team,” said his agent and brother Jesus Llorente when speaking to Portuguese daily O Jogo. “Nothing can be excluded.”
Ben McAleer of WhoScored.com took a detailed look at how the forward has been faring in recent seasons:
"Article for @WhoScored on Fernando Llorente http://t.co/udjhWroPen pic.twitter.com/Zh095oTbx7
— Ben McAleer (@BenMcAleer1) July 10, 2015"
At Real he’d be equally as frustrated as he was in Turin last season. New manager Rafael Benitez only typically operates with one forward and as talented as Llorente is, he’d do well to oust the excellent Karim Benzema at the point of the attack.
White Hart Lane seems like an ideal destination for the 30-year-old to get his career back on track, and while Llorente would be a coup for Spurs, there’d be few at the Santiago Bernabeu losing much sleep about missing out on him.
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