According to Television Española, Iker Casillas has decided to play for FC Porto next season. The Portuguese club, Real Madrid and the keeper are all satisfied with the terms, with the transfer nearing completion.
TVE is one of Spain’s most important public television and radio channels, and they already broke the news about Casillas leaving the club about a month ago. While there aren’t too many specific details about the negotiation, they do point out several key aspects. FC Porto have actually sent an offer to Real and they are willing to make this the best possible exit for Iker.
The captain would’ve chosen Lopetegui’s team because of its Spanish vibe, since they have six fellow paisans in the squad. In addition, the fact that they play Champions League football was also a definitive factor.
Casillas hopes to retire with the Spain national team after next year’s European Championship, and he will need to play in order to be called up. There were already rumors that Benítez didn’t consider him the starting keeper.
This transfer would put an end to a 25-year relationship that’s been filled with drama the past two years. While he may not be leaving with a title, his salary will be partially paid by Los Blancos, since Porto can’t afford the full amount. Another important thing is the proximity between Portugal and Spain. This may not be mentioned in the article, yet it’s something that allows him to stay rather close to his family.
If this ends up being true, Rafa Benítez would be crossing one item from his checklist. He wanted many things done by July 10th and Casillas was one of them. With the captain gone, the club would go full throttle for David De Gea or possibly Bernd Leno. We’ll have to wait how things go, but this looks like the start of a hot week in the transfer market.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTMNqh_eGcU
