(De Gea’s reaction on learning that he won’t have to answer questions on a transfer to Real Madrid)
It’s a case of “not going, going, gone” for three of the Premier League’s most famous goalkeepers.
Not going…..
For the first transfer window in a while David De Gea and Manchester United can relax about the goalkeeping position.
This time out there has been no mention of the player being chased by Real Madrid, or anyone else, for that matter.
De Gea has been able to put a disappointing World Cup, both personally and professionally, behind him and return to his two best mates at Old Trafford where he can concentrate on his woeful defence allowing him to pick up his fifth “Player of the Season” award.
Going…..
Real Madrid have been remarkably quiet on the issue of a new goalkeeper but that is probably because their new number one “choice”, Thibaut Courtois, is now actively agitating for a move from Chelsea.
He has always been the logical option as far as this publication is concerned. He has his young family living in Madrid and his connection with Atlético is merely that he spent some time on loan there.
De Gea, on the other hand, was brought through the ranks at Real’s deadly rivals and would actually be, despite being the current Spanish national goalkeeper, a less popular choice than the Belgian.
Anyway, Courtois has now gone AWOL from his club and, according to the press, keeps turning up in barber shops in Brussels and coffee shops in Madrid! My how he gets around that one!
It won’t be too long, however, before he is turning up for training at the Bernabeu, having been fined and sold by Chelsea.
Courtois will sign for Real Madrid having become fed up with life in London generally and Chelsea specifically
They, of course, need to find a replacement as it is unlikely that Willy Caballero or Rob Green will prove to be of the required quality to don the mantle. In fact they have both proven themselves to be rather inept so Chelsea will look for a new number one outside the club.
The early favourite is Jack Butland of Stoke City. Initially it was thought that Chelsea wanted Jordan Pickford of Everton, which they probably did, but the Toffees have stamped very hard on their toes, slapped their face and told them to go away and look elsewhere.
Butland will be desperate to get back into the Premier League and there are only four or five clubs better than Chelsea and they all have good goalkeepers at the moment, so this seems his best option for now.
Chelsea are also interested in Jan Oblak, of Atlético Madrid, who has a release clause of £89 million which they appear to be prepared to pay and Sergio Rico of Sevilla who, at 24 may represent the best value for money, although no fee has yet been mentioned.
Gone…..
Staying with the mad men between the sticks and Joe Hart has finally left Manchester City for good. He is not moving very far, in fact, just up the road around 30 miles to Burnley where he will compete for the number one spot with England’s Tom Heaton and Nick Pope and Norway’s Anders Lindergard.
Fortunately, for Hart anyway, the two Englishmen are injured which is the main reason Sean Dyche has bought him. That, and the fee, which was only £3.5 million. As he will probably be the first choice keeper for now, all he has to do is put in decent performances every week and keep the other two out of the side.
Recent history doesn’t suggest that this will happen as he couldn’t hold on to the number one slot when at West Ham and his only competition there was Adrián, but good luck to him anyway.
Joe Hart signs for Burnley where he will, no doubt, work his way down from first choice to third choice in a matter of weeks!
By the way, since Joe Hart wasn’t good enough to keep Adrián out of the West Ham team and also because Manuel Pellegrini doesn’t rate Adrián that highly, they have also bought a new goalkeeper, Lucasz Fabianski from Swansea City.
And finally…..
How can we possibly talk about Premier League goalkeepers without mentioning Liverpool?
Well, in case you hadn’t noticed, they have only been and gone and bought one! Not only that but, having wasted the 37 years since Ray Clemence left with keepers who have been average, worse than average and just downright rubbish, they have broken the transfer record for a Brazilian with a girl’s name to keep the ball out of their net.
He must be good because Liverpool legend and goalkeeper extraordinaire Bruce Grobbelaar says he is!
Stop press: Wouldn’t you just know it! It appears that, despite our reporting to the contrary, Chelsea will be signing goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao having agreed to pay his release clause of £72 million.
WHY SAY ANYTHING? 