Casillas heading for Real exit as de Gea move nears

Andy West 03:49 11/06/2015
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  • Exit approaching: Casillas.

    Iker Casillas is reportedly on the verge of leaving Real Madrid as the club prepare to open the bidding for his successor, David de Gea.

    Spanish TV station TVE claimed on Wednesday that Casillas has reached an agreement to leave the club this summer despite the Spanish goalkeeper having two years left on his contract.

    Real have been strongly linked in recent months to acquire Manchester United star De Gea and are expected to make their bid once Spain’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Belarus in Borisov on Sunday is out of the way.

    Although De Gea, signed by United from Atletico Madrid in 2011, is eager for a return to his home city, it is understood he has made it clear he will not demand a transfer and sour his excellent relationship with management, players and supporters at Old Trafford.

    The 24-year-old is under contract at Old Trafford for another season but has so far turned down multiple contract offers, including United’s latest offer of £200,000 (Dh1.14m) a week. Given his contract situation, De Gea could move for a fee of around £18million (Dh104m).

    Casillas, the Real and Spain captain, is currently on duty with La Roja alongside De Gea. And although he has continually stated that he has no intention of leaving Real any time soon and will fight for his starting place, reports suggest he has changed his mind.

    However, Casillas is also believed to be keen to secure a severance package from Madrid to reflect everything he has achieved during his 16 seasons as a first team regular.

    As many as 10 clubs are thought to have made offers, and the veteran goalkeeper has already rejected one advance from Valencia, who need a replacement for injured regular Diego Alves.

    Casillas would prefer to move overseas to ensure he doesn’t have to play against his former club, and Turkish giants Fenerbahce are thought to be at the front of the queue with a big money offer.

    Casillas first lost his starting place under former Real coach Jose Mourinho in 2012-13 and also struggled at the World Cup, where Spain exited at the first hurdle last year.

    Real signed goalkeeper Keylor Navas to a six-year deal last summer, and the Costa Rica international did make a handful of starts earlier in the 2014-15 campaign for the Spanish club, but Casillas regained his spot in the first XI.

    Real did not win any silverware in 2014-15. They finished runners-up to Barcelona in the Primera Division and were knocked out of the Champions League in the semifinals by Juventus.

    Their disappointing end to the campaign led to the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti, who had guided Real to a record 10th European Cup in the 2013-14 campaign. Real appointed Rafa Benitez as Ancelotti’s replacement earlier this month.

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