Thibaut Courtois has been an important man for Real Madrid for a number of years, but the Spanish giants have transferred their attention to English football for a long -term replacement
Real Madrid focuses their attention on the Premier League while trying to identify a successor to Thibaut Courtois, according to it. The Belgian international has been a key figure in the recent successes of Los Blancos, but is now 33 and that is supposed to consider a younger model at the club.
Of the 2024 Champions League winners, they are expected to confirm Xabi Alonso if their new manager indeed after the exit of Spaniard Bayer Leverkusen, but they are not delayed on their transfer push. Trent Alexander-Arnold is on the road from Liverpool, and a new center-back is also expected to participate, with a new keeper who completes the set.
According to the Sun, David Raya and Bart Verbruggen are the two Premier League men who are being considered, although neither would be easy to land. It is unlikely that Raya Arsenal may leave without a fight, while the reported plan of Madrid for Brighton Star Verbruggen may not suit the Dutch international.
The same publication indicates that the Spanish club wants to bring in Verbruggen in the first instance as a backup of Courtois before being raised to the first choice later. With Verbruggen currently the established first choice under Fabian Hurzeler, he could prefer to stay in place – especially with 2026 as a World Cup year.
Andriy Lunin has lately been the backup of Courtois and played six of the seven Champions League-Knock-out matches of his team with his colleague last season, but lost his place for the final. The Ukraine international could be made available for transfer this summer, after he had only played 60 games in the first team since he came to the club in 2018.
Verbruggen helped Brighton on Saturday to claim a valuable 2-0 victory at Wolves to keep their hope of European qualification alive. Hurzeler's team is ninth – behind Brentford only on target difference – and eighth place will be sufficient for the qualification of the conference, unless Crystal Palace Manchester City defeated in the FA Cup final.
“Very happy that the players showed this performance. They held on to the plan and defended pretty well,” Manager Hurzeler told Match of the Day. “Second half, we defended pretty well. In possession we could do better, but I was happy to use the chance to score the second goal.”
Alonso's other reported goals are Jonathan Tah, who could follow him to move from Leverkusen. Former Madrid -midfielder Alonso is not confirmed as the new boss at the Bernabeu, but his decision to leave the Bayara is now official.
“This week the club and I have been agreed that these two games will be my last two games as a coach of Bayer Leverkusen,” Alonso said on Friday. “We spoke during this week that it is always about the time and now the right time is to announce it.
“We have always had good and direct communication and now that we have clarity, it is the right time to say that for sure. It is a moment with mixed emotions, but it is the time to announce it.”
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