Iker Casillas subject of Porto offer to Real Madrid - report

 

ESPN FC's Gabriele Marcotti discusses the current situation at Real Madrid concerning Iker Casillas' delicate position within the side.

Real Madrid have received a written offer from Porto for goalkeeper Iker Casillas, according to Spanish TV station TVE.

TVE reported on Monday that the Portuguese giants, coached by former Real Madrid and Spain goalkeeper Julen Lopetegui, are keen to acquire the 34-year-old and are 99 percent certain that the Estadio do Dragao will be his next destination.

In order for a deal for Casillas to be completed, TVE says Real would have to contribute to the payment of his wages, although AS reports that no deal will go ahead unless the salary is paid in full by the buying club.

Casillas has two years left on his contract with Real but has been the subject of transfer speculation in recent months.

The Spain international has had a difficult two seasons with Real, and the expectation that Manchester United's David De Gea will join the Madrid club over the summer has fuelled rumours of his departure.

De Gea, under contract at United for another season, began preseason training in Manchester on Monday and will only join Real once Casillas departs.

The Real and Spain captain said at the end of the season that he had no intention of leaving Real any time soon and would fight for a starting place with De Gea if the former Atletico Madrid player moves to the Bernabeu.

However, TVE reported on June 10 that Casillas was on the verge of leaving Real.
He lost his starting place under former Bernabeu coach Jose Mourinho and also struggled at last year's World Cup, where Spain went out in the group stages.

Real signed goalkeeper Keylor Navas on a six-year deal last summer, and the Costa Rica international made a handful of starts only for Casillas to regain his spot in the first XI.

Change has been ongoing at Real after they failed to win any major silverware in 2014-15.
Their disappointing end to the campaign led to the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti, who had guided them to a record 10th European Cup the previous campaign. Rafa Benitez was appointed as his replacement last month.

Casillas has been a reported target for Turkish giants Fenerbahce as well as Roma.
A World Cup winner and two-time European champion with Spain, he has won five Primera Division titles, three Champions League trophies and two Copa del Rey crowns since making his first-team debut in 1999.