Thibaut Courtois’ potential move to Real Madrid is creating knock-on effects across Spain with Athletic Club fearing the sudden exit of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The Bilbao side fought hard to keep the young Spaniard amid Real’s interest in January and signed him up to a new contract, running to 2025 with an 80 million euro release clause.
Such a figure is not deemed high enough by those within the club to guarantee his future and there is panic that, just as Manchester City did with Aymeric Laporte, a Premier League giant will swoop and sign one of their star players, leaving Athletic powerless in the process.
First team football and a big salary increase await the shot-stopper in West London as he would be the immediate replacement for the Madrid-bound Courtois.
In terms of Athletic signing fresh goalkeeping cover of their own, there is a sense of relative calm given that Iago Herrerin would be promoted from the bench to the first team.
Source – Marca
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