More than two decades at Real Madrid has seen goalkeeper extraordinaire Iker Casillas win everything there is worth winning in football.
The impressive haul includes five domestic titles and three Champions League trophies with the most recent being just last year and he is still in the running to retain it come June 6th. But despite his influence at the club and the love of his supporters Casillas has been heavily criticised this season with many expecting him to leave as soon as this summer.
At 33-years-old he is hardly past it, with many goalkeepers maintaining their first team presence long into their thirties, but several slip-ups have caused some at the Bernabeu to feel he is not consistent enough to be Real Madrid’s number one anymore.
Madrid supporters are notoriously fussy despite having some of the most talented and expensive players in the world. Just a few under-par performances by the team or its individuals can result in the crowd waving white handkerchiefs or whistling as the squad leaves the field. Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale have suffered this fate, even though they have scored a huge amount of goals this season as fans felt they just weren’t good enough.
[ffc-gal cat=”arsenal” no=”5″]
Casillas’ future may not look so bright in the Spanish capital, but he has been rumoured to be still held in high regard elsewhere in Europe. Casillas could also make a sizeable amount of money by heading off to America’s MLS but a goalkeeper of his age and reputation can still command a starting place in some of the smaller European teams or, alternatively, would be an asset to any of the top clubs as a second choice stopper.
Playing second fiddle, at least at first, seems like his best option. That way he can still play for a high achieving club for a few more seasons, and that’s where Arsenal comes in. The Gunners have been associated with a potential transfer for the Spaniard this season, especially as Wojciech Szczesny has announced that he may leave this summer in favour of finding more first team football. Szczesny is only 25, so it is understandable that he doesn’t want to have to wait for David Ospina to get injured or lose form before he gets another the chance to play in the important fixtures at the Emirates.
Arsenal have also been linked with a move across London for Chelsea’s Petr Cech, who has been overlooked by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho since the arrival of Thibaut Courtois. The Gunners may find it easier to coax Real Madrid to sell Casillas to them rather than holding out for Cech, who would be leaving for a direct rival.
Despite his weaknesses, Casillas is still a formidable and intelligent keeper who, if he did sign for Arsenal, may have to sit out the first few games. But there is every chance that once he does start a match then his impressive display may just win him the role on a more permanent basis. Then Casillas would be making a name for himself in another league for a club whose fans are much more supportive and forgiving than his previous ones.
Obviously Casillas loves Real Madrid and is sure to have dreamt of ending his career there but if that becomes an impossibility, then a move to Arsenal would be the perfect way to reinvent himself for a whole new audience.
[ad_pod id=’ffc-video’ align=’center’]
[ad_pod id=’election’ align=’center’]
[interaction id=“none”]
