Real Madrid are blessed to have two world-class goalkeepers in their squad. Thibaut Courtois, quite clearly, sits as the superior of the two and is the manager’s go-to option for most games in the season.
In the event of Courtois’ absence, however, Andriy Lunin has always promised to be a reliable option.
The Ukrainian star dazzled last season when the Belgian international was not available after suffering an ACL injury, and in the process, placed himself on the radars of several elite clubs.
As revealed in a recent report by Defesacentral, Lunin is on the radars of several clubs including some in the Premier League with the likes of Manchester United said to be interested.
Now, Galatasaray have entered the race and seriously threaten to take the player away from Real Madrid. They have been linked with the likes of Arda Guler and David Alaba in the past, but Lunin is now their priority.
The Ukrainian star may not see a departure from Real Madrid to be a step back in his career given that he is not seeing any prominence under Carlo Ancelotti.
With Los Blancos even considering extending Courtois’ contract, he may well not see any action for years to come, and waiting for the starting spot is not a practical option.
The Merengues will not make it easy for Galatasaray to sign Lunin and reportedly will not allow him to leave for less than €20-25 million. While it may not be a large sum in today’s market, it is still outlandish for a goalkeeper.
Last season, Lunin took charge of Real Madrid’s goal for virtually the entire season except the UEFA Champions League final. For the team to win La Liga, the Supercopa de Espana, and the UCL with him is only a testament to his quality.