According to Cadena COPE, one of Spain’s most prominent radio networks, Real Madrid have decided to buy Kiko Casilla from RCD Espanyol. He would cost the club 3 million euros and would come in to be the second keeper after Keylor Navas.
It seems that the David De Gea situation has reached a bitter point, with Manchester United doing everything possible to impede the exit of their #1. This would be a loss for them, since they would be rejecting money now and earning nothing if David decides to join Real for free in 2016, as is the plan right now.
This is when Kiko Casillas comes in to sort of save the day. He’s been rumored for a return to the Bernabéu for quite some time, yet always failed to come true. Having Casillas and Keylor Navas ahead of him, it was really an unnecessary signing. However, with the captain on his way to FC Porto this week and Navas injured, the club apparently needs a goalie.
While this feels like a desperate move, it makes a bit of sense. The squad will travel to Australia on Sunday and they can’t go through the preseason tour without a decent level goalkeeper. It seems last season’s third man Fernando Pacheco has been completely forgotten. Nevertheless, the club saw Casilla’s signing as cheap and ideal.
The price and the timing are quite right, still this will be a decision that could cost a lot when the real season starts. Kiko is a great player, but he’s probably not worth the impulse buy. Navas was irregular last season and that doesn’t bring a lot of hope if he’s going to be the starting man in the two main competitions, La Liga and the UCL.
If this ends up being true, it will be a signing that won’t be exciting for fans, who are eager to be wooed by Florentino Pérez with a galáctico. As Atlético, Barça and even Valencia fill their teams with wonderful new players, Real is sort of stagnant. This would be the ideal time to rethink if De Gea is worth the effort, or if they should go for Bernd Leno. Whatever happens, it seems by the end of the week the Madrid goal-line will find its tenants for the 2015-16 term.
