Liverpool’s £165,000-A-Week Target Confirms Desire To Move
Iker Casillas, who was linked to a Liverpool move this summer has come out to admit his desire to play abroad at some point in his career. However, he expressed his happiness and pride that he belongs to Real Madrid, the Spanish heavyweights. The 33-year-old goal keeper fell out of favour with Jose Mourinho, the then Real Madrid manager and he became a fringe player. This went on under Carlo Ancelotti, during the Italian’s first season as Real Madrid manager, but now, the goal keeper has returned as number 1 for Real Madrid despite the signing on Keylor Navas, the Costa Rican, whose 2014 FIFA world Cup’s performance was second to none. Casillas played second fiddle to Diego Lopez under the management of Jose Mourinho and much of last season under Carlo Ancelotti.
The 33-year-old however continued to play for Spain and in the world cup suffered a painful exit due to his team’s abysmal performances from Brazil. Casillas, whose woes continued into the last season, had to make transfer plans by reason of his club’s acquisition of Keylor Navas, the Costa Rican goalkeeper, from fellow La Liga outfit, Levante. The Spaniard was said to be set for crunch meetings with Real Madrid President Florentino Perez to discuss his future at the world football giants and English Premier League club, Liverpool is waiting in the fringes waiting to pounce on any opportunity to sign the goalkeeper. Admitting that he considered leaving Madrid at some point in his career, with offers from England, he also expressed that nothing concrete was on the table. He said: ‘‘I’d love to have an experience abroad to bring more value to Real Madrid. Madrid is my home. I’ll always feel this way. I was educated here and got my start here. I can’t understand my life without Madrid. I’d love to have an experience abroad to bring more value to Real Madrid, which already has incalculable value to me. I never had a concrete offer. My idea was, and still is, to finish my career here.’’
At the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the Spanish number one with his teammates suffered a shameful exit, with the player conceding 7 goals from 2 matches. However, it is worthy of note that despite his dip in form in recent times, Iker Casillas still stands as one of the most decorated goalkeepers in world football today. The keeper has won 5 La Liga and 3 UEFA Champions’ League titles for Real Madrid plus 2 European Championships and 1 World Cup for Spain. Keylor Navas who had a splendid World Cup has reportedly signed for the Real Madrid and that portends more woes for the Spanish number one because that may mean him being a 3rd choice goal keeper for his childhood club in Madrid.
This statement fires a very big warning to Liverpool and any club that cares to listen, that Iker Casillas, though fancies a move abroad, that move would only be on a temporal basis. Therefore, a loan move for the veteran goal keeper would make a whole lot of sense for a club like Liverpool, whose goal keeper, Simon Mignolet, is in a poor form at the moment. Also, since any possible move for Iker Casillas could only be temporary, then the veteran goal keeper could be brought in to hand some stiff competition to Mignolet, who would remain as number goalie when Casillas leaves the club.
As Iker Casillas’ desire has been expressed, it is left to be seen which club, out of the reported suitors between Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool, in the English Premier League desires the player more, by moving for the player in the nearest future.