Just hours after Carlo Ancelotti admitted there was a good chance that Real Madrid will go after a new goalkeeper, Los Blancos have reportedly entered talks with a potential replacement for the injured Thibaut Courtois.
The Belgian goalkeeper went down with a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury on Thursday, and is projected to be out for around 7-9 months – most of the season.
By late Thursday night, many had Yassine Bounou at the top of Real Madrid’s two-tiered shortlist, but now Marca say that they have opened talks with Sevilla over a deal for Moroccan international.
‘Bono’ himself is keen on a move and would happily move to Los Blancos. Real Madrid are in talks with Sevilla who reportedly want around €20m for Bounou, although they will not recruit him at any cost. Amid interest from Manchester United two seasons ago, Bounou signed an extension until 2025, but with Jose Luis Mendilibar happy with Marko Dmitrovic, Los Nervionenses are content to sell him at a decent price, as they try to ease their wage bill.
A major part of negotiations is expected to be his participation in the African Cup of Nations this coming January. Were Morocco to make it to the final, he would potentially miss up to 13 games in January and February, including the first leg of the Champions League knockout round.
Bounou is well-liked by teammates and has a strong but amiable character. He would likely be able to cope with the pressure of the Santiago Bernabeu, but depending on the terms of the deal, Reall Madrid may decide that someone present for the full season is more apt.
