Lazio have set their sights on Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas with a view to signing the Costa Rican in the summer, as per reports.
Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra (h/t Tutto Mercato Web) have reported that Lazio are eyeing the Real Madrid goalkeeper with a possible summer transfer offer being prepared by the capital club from Serie A.
From one impressive season to an underwhelming one, Keylor Navas’ career at Real Madrid has been one riddled with ups and downs. He started his career at the Santiago Bernabeu by displacing Iker Casillas as Los Blancos’ first choice goalkeeper before his stint with the Spanish giants was put in jeopardy in 2015.
Real Madrid were keen to sign David De Gea from Manchester United in the summer of 2015, and a deal had been struck to see Navas going the other way, before failed paperwork scuppered the move. He justified his place in the side that season with several superlative performances, as he kept 22 clean sheets in 45 matches in all competitions.
However, 2016/17 season has been a season of struggles for Navas, as he has managed to keep just five clean sheets in 22 appearances in all competitions, conceding more than a goal per game. The 30-year-old hasn’t managed to be a regular in the first team either as he has been rotated with Kiko Casilla regularly.
His poor performances, coupled with those of Casilla have now seen Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane place an emphasis on making a goalkeeping reinforcement his top priority for the summer. That has seen the La Liga heavyweights rekindle their interest in De Gea, with a summer move being eyed.
Thibaut Courtois has been identified as the second choice for Real Madrid behind De Gea, with the Chelsea goalkeeper believed to be pushing for a summer transfer back to the Spanish capital. With two of the top goalkeepers in the world being linked with Real Madrid, Navas is widely expected to leave the club in the summer.
It now looks like his next destination could be in Italy, with Lazio keeping a tab on his situation with Real Madrid. The Roman club have problems in goal themselves, with regular first choice Federico Marchetti battling poor form and fitness issues.
Marchetti’s contract with Lazio runs out at the end of the 2017/18 season, and the Serie A outfit is, as per the report, eager to replace him with a top goalkeeper in the summer. Navas’ deal with Real Madrid, on the other hand, runs through to 2020.
But Lazio could get their hands on him for a reasonable price should Real Madrid secure the services of either of their top targets in the summer. It now remains to be seen when and who Los Blancos sign in the summer to man their goals to pave the way for Navas’ exit.
