Chelsea and Manchester City are looking to bring Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navas over to the Premier League in the summer of 2017
Spanish publication Don Balon have claimed that Chelsea and Manchester City are interested in Real Madrid goal keeper Keylor Navas. The Costa Rican is unlikely to be Real Madrid’s undisputed first-choice for long, with Perez eyeing a move for either Thibaut Courtois or David De Gea. And it looks like Navas may be set for the Premier League come summer 2017.
Navas was snapped up by Real Madrid in the summer of 2014 after impressive displays for Levante, and seemed to have brought along his form over to the Santiago Bernabeu. The 30-year-old has kept 31 shutouts in 75 appearances in all competitions for Los Blancos conceding just 61 goals in the process, a truly commendable record.
But despite his impressive outings, Florentino Perez is always aiming to make a splash in the transfer market and has prioritised a move for a goalkeeping sensation when the transfer ban is lifted in the summer transfer window.
As per reports, Perez has shortlisted Chelsea stopper Thibaut Courtois and Manchester United custodian David De Gea, both of whom have played for Real’s local rivals, Atletico Madrid. While De Gea seemed to be the first priority, it seems Perez has now shifted his focus more towards Courtois.
And rightly so, with the Belgian having also sounded out a possible return to the Spanish capital in the future while De Gea, on the other hand, is set to prolong his stay at Old Trafford with a one-year extension option about to be activated by the club.
And with moves lined up for a new star goalkeeper, Keylor Navas could be on his way out rather than play second fiddle to the potential incoming star. Chelsea and Manchester City are both in need of goalkeepers and are being linked with the Costa Rican with a potential summer swoop.
Chelsea are set to lose Asmir Begovic, who is unsatisfied with the lack of first-team action and neither will Navas be happy if he is given the chance to replace Begovic. But with the speculation surrounding Courtois, if the Belgian does end up at Real Madrid, Navas could go the other way in the same deal or a different one, perhaps.
Manchester City, on the other hand, are in immediate need of a goalkeeper, based on their recent performances. Claudio Bravo, Guardiola’s summer signing, has failed to prove himself at the Etihad up until now and it seems the former Barcelona manager is ready for another foray into the transfer market for another goalkeeper.
Navas, while playing for Real Madrid, who do not have nearly the same playing style as a Guardiola side does, gives good competition in passing and distribution statistics to Bravo, while blowing the Chilean out of water in terms of saves-to-goals ratio.
City have been linked with the likes of Tom Heaton in the recent past, but Navas presents a player who will result in an upgrade to Bravo in terms of shot-stopping prowess while not having to compromise to a great length, if at all, in the passing and distribution aspect.
However, Keylor’s departure depends entirely on Real Madrid’s ability to secure a world-class keeper, be it Courtois or De Gea, or even Donnarumma, who is also on Los Blancos’ radar. We shall see how it all pans out in the summer.
