Over the weekend, Hugo Lloris was linked by the English media with a move to Real Madrid. The claims seemed to have little standing at the Spanish club, and Monday’s edition of Marca made that very clear.
Kepa was on the front page once again, and it was claimed a deal is lined up for the Athletic Club Bilbao stopper to move in January. Real Madrid are prepared to pay €25m to help smooth through a move, despite Kepa’s contract running out in June and despite his buyout clause being €20m… anything to ease dealings with the prickly Basque club.
Already a full Spanish international, 23 year old Kepa is expected to be in Spain’s World Cup squad and be Real Madrid’s long term option, ending the rumours around David De Gea and Thibaut Courtois.
There’s no Lloris chase, and, as far as Marca and others seem concerned, there’s no efforts for the Chelsea goalkeeper either, and that’s not likely to change.
Real Madrid want ‘no trouble’ with their goalkeeping selection. Kepa is to take over as number one from Keylor Navas, in the short to medium term, and then be the club’s first choice goalkeeper for the foreseeable future. He’s certainly not seen as a squad player or a number two to the current Chelsea goalkeeper.
Things could change, but Marca are very clear. Rumours about De Gea perhaps will never go away given what’s happened previously, but as far as Courtois is concerned, there’s not a Real Madrid plan for him, Kepa is held above on the transfer wishlist, for several reasons, and there won’t be an effort for the Chelsea player.
Real Madrid have a single goalkeeper signing planned, believe their local media, and it’s set up for January.
With Courtois’ contract ending in June 2019 and the player’s fondness for Spain, rumours have been inevitable, bit it’s thought, and no doubt hoped, Kepa should mean an end to those.
