Real Madrid will look to complete an emergency move for 33-cap Spanish international Unai Simon as cover for Thibaut Courtois.
According to a report by Spanish outlet AS, Unai Simon is the subject of interest from Real Madrid over a possible move in the ongoing transfer window. The Merengues are looking for the best candidate to act as cover for the injury-stricken Thibaut Courtois. And the 33-cap Spanish international has emerged as one of the targets.
Unai Simon is a native of Vitoria-Gasteiz in the Basque Country and spent his formative years in that area of Spain. The 26-year-old has been with Athletic Club for over a decade and rapidly rose through the ranks before breaking into the senior squad. And he made his first-team debut as a 21-year-old in August 2018.
Since then, the Spanish international has come leaps and bounds, establishing himself as a regular for his club and country. And Simon has turned out over 150 times thus far for Athletic, keeping 48 clean sheets. Meanwhile, the player’s progress has not gone unnoticed, with Real Madrid now considering securing his services.
Real Madrid would ideally have liked not to sign another player in the last two weeks of the summer transfer window. But Thibaut Courtois’s injury has forced Los Blancos into the market for a goalkeeper. The Belgian shot-stopper has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, which will keep him on the sidelines for most of the 2023/24 season.
So the Merengues are now dipping their toes in the market for a goalkeeper. And several candidates, including Kepa Arrizabalaga, have emerged on Real Madrid’s radar. But Unai Simon is also a viable target for the Spanish giants, with a loan move possible this summer.
The report claims that Athletic Club might give the green light to a move to Real Madrid. The Basque giants have rejected a bid to sell the 33-cap Spanish international. But considering they have a readymade replacement in Julen Agirrezabala, Simon can secure a dream move to Real Madrid.
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But Yassine Bounou is Real Madrid’s priority target to replace Courtois this season. And reports have claimed that the Merengues have already initiated discussions with Bono’s entourage. So Simon only has a slight chance of joining Real Madrid this summer.
