Manchester City will attempt to sign Keylor Navas from Real Madrid this summer, according to reports.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Pep Guardiola is looking to strengthen the goalkeeper position, seeing as Willy Caballero’s contract expires at the end of the season. The Spaniard has identified Real Madrid’s number one Keylor Navas as his primary target for that position.
Navas has not had the best of seasons with Real Madrid thus far and has been facing some heavy criticism in the wake of Real Madrid’s defeats to Sevilla and Celta Vigo. However, this has not deterred Guardiola who will attempt to prise him away in the summer.
City’s goalkeeper Claudio Bravo has been heavily criticised this season himself. He hasn’t looked comfortable in City’s goal at times, and has made some huge errors leading to goals for the opposition. According to the report, Guardiola feels Navas can take over from him as No.1 goalkeeper at the Etihad.
City’s chances will be further boosted by the fact that Real Madrid are also looking to buy a new goalkeeper, with the Spaniards reviving their interest in Manchester United’s David de Gea and Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois.
City’s decision to let Joe Hart leave has been derided in England, after the England No.1 was forced out of the side by Pep Guardiola. Their struggles in goal since then have been directly attributed to that decision and Claudio Bravo has not looked convincing at all.
Despite this, Guardiola remains convinced that Hart is not the man for the job and City are even said to be in talks with Liverpool over a transfer for England’s No.1. However, given Navas’ recent criticism in Spain he might not be the answer either.
The Costa Rica international has made 16 appearances for Real this season, but the feeling has been that Navas would not be starting if he had any real competition for the position. However, Zinedine Zidane was quick to defend his player saying that Navas deserved as much credit as the rest of the team for Real Madrid’s 40-game unbeaten run.
Navas is no doubt a good shot stopper, but City need a goalkeeper who is completely dependable and Navas will have to clean up his errors if he wants to be that man. He will definitely be an upgrade on Claudio Bravo however, and this deal seems like a very real possibility.
