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Real Madrid prepare three-man shortlist to replace Keylor Navas

Spanish mediahouse AS report that Brazil No.1 Alisson is on the shortlist to replace Keylor Navas at Real Madrid, while Thibaut Courtois and Jan Oblak are also on the list.

Real Madrid and Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas

Bengaluru, June 12: Champions League holders Real Madrid are lining up Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois as a replacement for goalkeeper Keylor Navas, while their shortlist also includes Liverpool targets Jan Oblak and Alisson Becker.

Spanish mediahouse AS report that Brazil No.1 and Roma's Alisson among others has been considered as replacements for Navas, who despite winning three consecutive Champions League titles, has never managed to bring the needed confidence.

Meanwhile, as for their other two targets, Courtois spent three years on loan at Real's city rivals Atletico between 2011 and 2014, and was replaced by Oblak upon returning to Stamford Bridge.

The Costa Rican was hailed as the long-term successor to Bernabeu legend Iker Casillas when he arrived at the club following a stellar 2014 World Cup, but his time appears to be up at Santiago Bernabeu.

Courtois' ups and downs in 2017-18 campaign could see Chelsea move him on, making him a slightly easier target than Oblak or Alisson, both of whom are crucial to their respective clubs.

Plus, the Belgian has only one year left in his contract and would arrive on a much lower fee compared to the other two.

Liverpool have also been linked to both Alisson and Oblak, with current options Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius deemed not good enough to mount a serious title challenge. They have also been linked with Courtois, but that seems like just a media speculation.

Navas, Courtois and Alisson will all be at this summer's World Cup, guarding the net for Costa Rica, Belgium and Brazil respectively. Oblak, meanwhile, would face no delay should a club match Atletico's demands, as Slovenia failed to qualify for the tournament in Russia.

Chelsea keeper Courtois has tasted regular success with the Blues, including two league titles, a League Cup and last season's FA Cup, keeping a clean sheet in the final as his team defeated Manchester United 1-0 at Wembley.

Oblak also lifted silverware in 2017-18, triumphing in the Europa League as Atletico cruised past Marseille 3-0.

Despite being managerless at present, Real Madrid are keen to move quickly to replace Navas, whose trophy haul while at Los Blancos trumps all of his prospective successors. In addition to the trio of Champions League winners' medals, Navas also won a La Liga title, two Super Cups and three Club World Cups with Madrid.

Story first published: Tuesday, June 12, 2018, 11:47 [IST]
Other articles published on Jun 12, 2018