#360transfers: Casillas close to completing Porto switch

Andy West 08:04 09/07/2015
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  • Safe hands: Casillas.

    Iker Casillas is on the verge of ending his 25-year association with Real Madrid by joining Portuguese giants Porto.

    The veteran goalkeeper has agreed to make the switch and late Wednesday night UAE time, the two clubs were meeting in Oporto to thrash out a deal on his personal terms.

    Casillas’s gross annual salary at the Bernabeu was €13 million (Dh52.9m) and, although Porto are offering less than half that sum, Madrid are prepared to make a contribution to prevent him from suffering a significant loss of earnings.

    The keeper’s future has been subject to scrutiny for many months after a series of high-profile errors led to heavy criticism from some Los Blancos fans, and the offer to continue his career at Porto under Spanish boss Julen Lopetugui – his former goalkeeping coach at international level – was too good to refuse.

    The deal has been rushed through now to complete Casillas’s departure before the Madrid squad heads to Australia this weekend to begin their pre-season preparations under new boss Rafa Benitez.

    Madrid are determined to give their iconic club captain a fitting send-off to ensure he does not leave with any ill feelings, and are expected later today to announce details of a farewell tribute event at the Bernabeu tomorrow afternoon.

    In place of Casillas, Los Blancos are planning to swoop for Espanyol’s near-namesake Kiko Casilla.

    With Keylor Navas injured and the drawn-out move for Manchester United star David De Gea currently making little progress, they do not want to risk starting the new campaign with no established goalkeepers and regard Casilla – a former graduate of the Madrid youth system – as a useful short-term option.

    The Bernabeu club had been hoping to complete the deal for as little as €3m (Dh12.2m), but Espanyol president Joan Collet warned: “There is no deal and at that price there won’t be.

    “I have spoken with (Real Madrid general director) Jose Angel Sanchez and he did ask one question to me. But we haven’t negotiated.”

    Casilla, 28, has made more than 100 appearances for Espanyol and was handed his Spain debut in last year’s friendly defeat against Germany.

    Another piece of news from the Bernabeu is a new contract for right-back Dani Carvajal, who has put pen to paper on a five-year deal until the summer of 2020. Fellow full-back Marcelo is expected to sign a similar contract extension in the next couple of days. 

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