Real Madrid's TWO obvious options to replace injured star

Suraj Radia

10 Aug 2023 13:37 BST
3 min read

Courtois suffers ACL injury — © ProShots

Real Madrid have been rocked by the news that Thibaut Courtois will face a significant spell on the sidelines after damaging his ACL in training.

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The 31-year-old has been integral to Real since joining them in 2018, cementing his status as one of the best goalkeepers in the world in the process and leading Madrid to eight trophies during his time at the club.

However, Courtois is said to have left Real’s training ground in tears following the injury and the club confirmed the Belgian will undergo surgery on his left knee in the coming days.

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Andriy Lunin deputised for Courtois last season when the Belgian was injured, featuring in seven La Liga games, however Real will likely bring in a replacement with more pedigree, with the club having no third-choice goalkeeper in their first team currently.

Real have yet to formally identify any long-term replacement for Courtois and the abrupt nature of the injury has left Carlo Ancelotti scrambling for a replacement before their season kicks off against Athletic Bilbao this weekend.

With Real operating under strict financial constraints following their outlay this summer, which has seen Jude Bellingham come in for a fee of €103 million, Ancelotti will likely look towards short-term replacements for Courtois – with two players in particular set to be likely targets.

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Real are known to prefer targets known to them, with a reputation for hiring managers who have had a history at the club as well as only pursuing players after a long period of heavy scouting.

As a result, one of the first players they may turn to is Keylor Navas, who spent five years at the Bernabeu between 2014 and 2019, winning 11 trophies and making more than 100 appearances before joining Paris Saint-Germain

Navas spent the second half of last season on loan at Nottingham Forest and the 36-year-old is now back at PSG, although the French side would have no issue moving him on and getting his wages off the books for a nominal fee.

However, a more eye-catching target could be David de Gea, with the 32-year-old still a free agent after leaving Manchester United this summer and reportedly holding out for a return to Spain.

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De Gea was a long-term target for Real during his time at United and came close to joining the La Liga side in 2015, with a fax machine error preventing paperwork being filed before the transfer deadline.

The availability of both players, combined with their likely desire to join on a team-friendly deal could see either targeted to replace Courtois in the coming days as Real look to bounce back from the shock injury to a key player.