Arsenal have reportedly launched a bid to sign out of favour Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas in the ongoing transfer window.
Arsenal have submitted a £14 million offer to secure the services of Real Madrid’s Costa Rican shot-stopper Keylor Navas in the January transfer window, as per a report from Spanish outlet Sport.
Navas joined Real Madrid from fellow La Liga outfit Levante back in the summer of 2014 and went on to become an integral part of the team in recent years. The 32-year-old goalkeeper played a crucial role in Los Blancos’ historic UEFA Champions League hat-trick under Zinedine Zidane.
Till date, Navas has racked up 149 appearances for the reigning European champions, winning a La Liga title, along with three Champions League winners’ medals, as well as a Spanish Supercopa, three UEFA Super Cups and four FIFA Club World Cup trophies.
However, the Costa Rican international has found himself out on the benches in the 2018-19 season, with summer signing Thibaut Courtois becoming the undisputed No. 1 at the Santiago Bernabeu. So far in the ongoing campaign, Navas has featured just eight time for Real Madrid across all competitions.
Naturally, the goalkeeper has grown frustrated with his current situation at the club. And, having not been picked for a single game in the FIFA Club World Cup last month by manager Santiago Solari, Navas is believed to have decided to leave Real Madrid in the ongoing window.
The 32-year-old took to social media to hint at a possible exit earlier this week, as he posted an image with the Real Madrid supporters, captioned ‘Gracias por todo!’ which translates to ‘Thanks for everything.’
Navas’ situation has put several clubs on alert, but Arsenal seem to have acted the quickest, having already launched a £14 million bid to sign the Costa Rican up.
The Gunners recruited a new goalkeeper in the summer, signing Bernd Leno from Bayer Leverkusen in a £19.2 million deal. But, with Petr Cech nearing the end of his career at 36 years of age and David Ospina poised to convert his loan move to Napoli into a permanent one, Arsenal manager Unai Emery is left seeking reinforcements between the sticks.
Along with Arsenal, Serie A outfit AS Roma are also believed to be keen on making a swoop for the Real Madrid superstar, as they look to adequately replace Brazilian international Alisson Becker, who joined Liverpool in the summer window.
Navas has eighteen months left on his current contract with Real Madrid, but an exit in the ongoing transfer window seems imminent. Should Arsenal be able to secure his signing, they will have gotten their hands on a seasoned campaigner with years of top level experience and a natural leader with a winning mentality – something that Unai Emery’s side could benefit immensely from.
