Featured Video
Man Utd Rebuild Continues ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ
MADRID, SPAIN - MAY 01: Goalkeeper Keylor Navas of Real Madrid reacts during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final Second Leg match between Real Madrid and Bayern Muenchen at the Bernabeu on May 1, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Power Sport Images/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - MAY 01: Goalkeeper Keylor Navas of Real Madrid reacts during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final Second Leg match between Real Madrid and Bayern Muenchen at the Bernabeu on May 1, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Power Sport Images/Getty Images)Power Sport Images/Getty Images

Report: Real Madrid to Offer Keylor Navas New Deal Amid Thibaut Courtois Rumours

Rory Marsden
Jul 26, 2018

Real Madrid are reportedly set to offer No. 1 goalkeeper Keylor Navas a new contract despite long-term links to Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois.

According toย La Nacionย (h/tย ESPN FC), talks with the Costa Rica internationalย started before the 2018 FIFA World Cup, when new managerย Julen Lopetegui "identified Navas as a cornerstone of his squad."

The 31-year-old has looked primed for the exit door for much of the summer transfer window, asย Courtois has looked set to replace him.

Simon Jones and Jonathan Spencerย of MailOnline recently reported Real had got as far as agreeing personal terms with the Chelsea stopper.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 19: Thibaut Courtois of Chelsea during The Emirates FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on May 19, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Los Blancos also signed 19-year-oldย Andriy Lunin in June, apparently to join Kiko Casilla as a back-up to the player brought in to replace Navas as No. 1.

However, if Real are looking to sign Navas up to a new deal, then Courtois may yet remain at Chelseaโ€”there is no way the pair could play together in the same squad.

Perย La Nacionย (via ESPN FC), Navas is looking to ensure that he is tied to Real until he is 34.

His deal at the Santiago Bernabeu only lasts until June 2020, when he will be 33, so he is angling for at least a yearlong extension.

If and when Navas' contract is announced, it will effectively shut down any further talk of Real bringing in a new No. 1โ€”they are also interested inย Tottenham Hotspur's Hugo Lloris, per Jones and Spencer.

And it will mark something of a turnaround given that Real have long been thought to want a new, better goalkeeper:

It will also be just reward for a man who has played a key role in Real's three UEFA Champions Leagues triumphs in a row:

Navas succeeded the legendary Iker Casillas in the Real goal but was thenย almost sent to Manchester Unitedย as part of the deal to sign David De Geaย back in 2015.

It looks now as though he could have survived another bout of reports calling time on his Real career and that he will continue on into theย Lopeteguiย era.