Manchester United’s goalkeeper David de Gea has long been coveted by Real Madrid, and for good reason. Not only is he now recognised as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, but he’s also beginning to establish himself as Spain’s undisputed #1 – the heir to Real’s former great goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
The only problem? The word currently is that United have already turned down a £40m bid for de Gea and have supposedly slapped a price tag of £80m on the keeper – a price which would shatter the world record transfer fee for a goalie.
Also read: 5 stars who could be a part of the next El Clasico
And United seemingly have the upper hand – de Gea is under a long term contract and if Jose Mourinho doesn’t want to sell him, he probably doesn’t need to. The question then becomes, would the price really be worth it? Or are there alternative signings out there that Real could make? I’d say yes, and here are five of them.
#1 Hugo Lloris
If it’s a goalkeeper that Real are truly after then they could do worse than turn their attentions to Tottenham’s #1, Hugo Lloris of France.
One of the most consistent goalkeepers in the Premier League since his arrival in 2012-13, Lloris was fantastic throughout 2016-17, keeping 15 clean sheets in the league, and he was also a key part of Tottenham possessing the league’s meanest defence – the side only let in 26 goals all season. In fact, he was the only keeper in the league to keep more clean sheets than de Gea himself.
While he’s a little older than de Gea at 30, he’s still relatively young for a goalkeeper – compare him to Gianluigi Buffon for instance who’s still playing at the highest level while pushing 40 – and could probably play for almost another decade yet.
The key point is that Real probably wouldn’t have to part with anywhere near as much money to get him – Mauricio Pochettino would clearly hate to lose his #1, but Tottenham’s finances aren’t as strong as United’s, they don’t pay anywhere near the wages, and they also have a new stadium to pay off.
Going French rather than Spanish could be a smart move for Real.
#2 Thibaut Courtois
Considered as one of the Premier League’s best goalkeepers alongside de Gea and Lloris, Belgium’s Thibault Courtois is coming off another massively successful season with Chelsea, where he won the Premier League for the second time.
Courtois was a key component of the title win, as he kept 16 clean sheets – more than Lloris and de Gea – and helped to shore up a defence that took manager Antonio Conte a relatively long time to get settled. While he’d be tougher to sign than Lloris given Chelsea’s financial situation, he probably wouldn’t cost as much as de Gea, and he also has a lot of other plus points.
At just 25 he’s almost guaranteed to be around the top of the game for another decade at least, and yet he’s already gained vital experience, both with Belgium at an international level but more importantly at club level. While he’s only been Chelsea’s #1 for three seasons, prior to that he spent three seasons on loan at Atletico Madrid, where he really made a name for himself, particularly as part of their Champions League side that reached the finals in 2013-14.
With previous experience – and success – in La Liga, and a lower price tag than de Gea, surely it makes more sense for Los Blancos to make a move for Courtois instead.
#3 Eden Hazard
Okay, so obviously he wouldn’t keep goals out like de Gea would, but Real have always been a side more focused on outscoring their opposition anyway – remember the famous quote about president Florentino Perez creating a team with Zidane at left-back? – and Chelsea’s Hazard would definitely fit the mould of a new Galactico.
Hazard has bounced back from a disappointing 2015-16 to have a tremendous season with Chelsea, where he helped the side to win the Premier League – Hazard’s second title win in three seasons – and also scored his 50th Premier League goal. His goalscoring record improved dramatically from his last season – 17 in all competitions rather than 6 – and he was also named in the PFA Team of the Year.
Admittedly he’d cost a lot of money – probably around the same as de Gea’s price tag of £80m at least – and Real already have an embarrassment of riches in attack, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Isco and Karim Benzema in the ranks, but with James Rodriguez likely leaving the club in the summer and question marks over the future of Bale, boss Zinedine Zidane could probably crowbar the Belgian in somehow.
Hazard has already expressed interest in a move, so why not now?
#4 Toby Alderweireld
If Real wish to shore up their defence then they could do no better than turn to Tottenham’s Belgian rock, Toby Alderweireld. Alderweireld signed with Spurs before the start of the 2015-16 season and it’s no coincidence that since his arrival, Tottenham have evolved from a team seen as a soft touch into the side with the meanest defence in the Premier League.
To put it quite simply, Alderweireld is probably the best defender in the Premier League right now, if not the world. It hasn’t mattered if his partner in defence has been countryman Jan Vertonghen, Austrian Kevin Wimmer or even someone out of position like Eric Dier – Alderweireld has been consistent, tough to beat, and almost ever-present – he played 23 times this season but appeared in all 38 of Tottenham’s league games in 2015-16.
Previous experience in La Liga with Atletico Madrid, the fact that current contract talks with Spurs have apparently stalled – he wants wage parity with Harry Kane – and the fact that Real’s great captain and defender Sergio Ramos is getting no younger means that a move for Alderweireld – probably at a fraction of de Gea’s price – makes all the sense in the world.
#5 Paulo Dybala
Back to a focus on scoring more goals than the opposition, Juventus’ Argentine attacker Paulo Dybala would fit the bill as a marquee signing worthy of Real this summer. After all, when Juventus shone in the first half of the Champions League final it was usually Dybala at the heart of their moves. It was only when Real quietened him in the second half that they really began to boss the game.
A versatile player, Dybala can be deployed as the main striker, supporting striker, attacking midfielder or playmaker, and his dribbling skills are second to none in the game right now. He’s already been tipped for greatness – many see him as the natural successor to Lionel Messi even – so it could be smart for Madrid to make a move for him now before someone like Barcelona step in.
Florentino Perez has already expressed an interest in the Argentine and it seems like Dybala is willing to consider the move. With Cristiano Ronaldo moving into more of a traditional centre forward role, Dybala could slot into his old spot of a roving, attacking midfielder who destroys defences with his dribbling ability.
He’d cost a lot of money, but he’d be an instant Galactico at Madrid and at just 23, he’d have plenty of time to live up to the price tag.
