Real Madrid turn to Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois in boost to Manchester United

Real Madrid are considering changing strategy over their next goalkeeper, in a development that could be welcomed at Manchester United but not at Chelsea, as the European champions believe Thibaut Courtois could be much easier to sign than David De Gea.

One plan now being mooted at the top levels of the Bernabeu right now is to try and sign Athletic Bilbao’s Kepa Arrizabalaga in January and for the future, before moving for Courtois in the summer.

Both Courtois and De Gea see their current contracts run out in June 2019, but after years of Real pursuing the United keeper, the view is that the Belgian would be less complicated to sign.

Bernabeu officials have already seen De Gea sign a new deal at Old Trafford the last time a move fell apart in 2015 and even though the player has always wanted to return to Spain at some point in his playing career, they feel signing Courtois could be much more straightforward.

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For his part, the Chelsea goalkeeper is keeping his options open, and doesn’t currently intend to make any concrete decision until the summer when there is one year left on his contract. He has a good relationship with the club and is aware any offer would be satisfactory, but is also mindful of Real’s situation, as well as more tentative interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus.

At the same time, those close to Courtois also say they have seen this kind of thing before from Real, only for the Spanish club to then pursue other targets with more zeal and in a much more concrete fashion.

Some believe such a change in strategy could just be part of a broader tactic to still get De Gea, and influence his thinking. Real officials have previously been irritated that the United goalkeeper has not agitated for a move more, and that their attempts to “get into his head” with media campaigns have not worked with him in the way they have other high-profile targets.