Real Madrid Close to Signing Kepa Arizabalaga as Courtois Replacement

Real Madrid are close to signing Spanish international goalkeeper Kepa Arizabalaga from Chelsea to replace injured Belgian Thibaut Courtois, according to Spanish reports today Saturday.

Courtois, 28, tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while training on Thursday and will undergo surgery in the coming days.

While the Royal Club did not specify the length of Courtois\’ absence, press reports in Spain indicated that the Belgian could miss most, if not all, of the season.

Arizabalaga, the former Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper who moved to Chelsea for a goalkeeping record fee of €80m in 2018, has been linked with Bayern Munich since the start of the summer transfer window.

According to several Spanish media reports, Real Madrid will try to get Arizabalaga\’s services on loan with an option to buy from the London club.

The Royal Club have also been linked to Moroccan international Yassin Bounou, the Sevilla goalkeeper, knowing he would lose his services in January and February due to his Africa Cup of Nations preoccupation.

Sevilla are demanding more than €20m for Bono, while Real Madrid spent big sums on English player Jude Bellingham (€103m) and young Turk Ardu Güler (€20m) when he signed them this summer.

Real Madrid head coach Italian Carlo Ancelotti said at a press conference yesterday, Friday, that his team is not going to sign a new goalkeeper, provided that Ukrainian young man Andrei Lunin will stand between three boards today, Saturday, in the first match for royal team in the Spanish championship this season against Athletic Bilbao.

Source: AFP.