Real Madrid are reportedly linked with a summer move for 19-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina.
Gabriel Slonina is highly rated around Europe, and he is prodigiously talented. The American whizkid has a big future ahead of him, and a report from Defensa Central claims that Real Madrid are keeping tabs on him at Chelsea.
Apparently, the Spanish giants could part ways with Andriy Lunin at the end of the season, and they are hoping to bring in the 19-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper as his replacement. Real Madrid are also interested in David Ospina and Bart Verbruggen.
Lunin has struggled for regular game time at Real Madrid, and he needs to leave the Spanish club in order to play more often. He is unlikely to dislodge Thibaut Courtois as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper anytime soon. The Ukrainian goalkeeper needs to play regularly in order to continue his development.
Meanwhile, Slonina would be an interesting backup option for Courtois. It remains to be seen whether Real Madrid can agree on a deal with the 19-year-old American goalkeeper. The opportunity to play for a big club like Real Madrid will be an attractive option for most players. But it is unclear Slonina is tempted if Real Madrid come forward with a concrete proposal, considering he recently joined Chelsea.
Meanwhile, Lunin will look to secure a permanent move away from Real Madrid and get his career back on track with regular first-team action. The Ukrainian goalkeeper is undoubtedly a talented goalkeeper with a big future ahead of him. And moving away from Santiago Bernabeu would be ideal for his development.
It remains to be seen how the situation develops and whether Real Madrid can convince Chelsea to part with their prized prospect. Other goalkeepers such as David Ospina and Bart Verbruggen have been linked with a move to Real Madrid as well.
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Slonina has not had first-team opportunities at Chelsea this season, and the youngster could be tempted if Real Madrid present him with a clear pathway to the first team in the coming seasons. The 19-year-old is not likely to play ahead of Courtois anytime soon, but he could prove to be a quality long-term replacement for the Belgian.
