Real Madrid have reportedly decided that they will not pay more than £17.5m to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
In August, Thibaut Courtois suffered a serious knee injury, leading to Real officials needing to act to find a replacement for the 2023-24 season.
A straight loan deal was quickly negotiated with Chelsea, Arrizabalaga jumping at the opportunity to become first-choice stopper at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Since then, the 29-year-old has suitably deputised for Courtois, making a total of 12 starts in La Liga and the Champions League.
Furthermore, Arrizabalaga has, on more than one occasion, admitted that he would like to sign for Los Blancos on a permanent basis at the end of the campaign.
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Whenever Courtois regains full fitness, the Belgium international is expected to be drafted back between the sticks, subsequently demoting Arrizabalaga down to the substitutes' bench.
That theoretically leaves Real with a decision to make over whether they attempt to sign the former Athletic Bilbao stopper, who is currently in line to return to his parent club at the conclusion of his loan stay.
According to The Sun, Real have already decided that they will pay no more than £17.5m to complete the permanent signing of Arrizabalaga.
While the player's potential deputy status in the long term is being taken into consideration, Arrizabalaga's contract at Chelsea also expires in 2025.
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From the perspective of Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino, he has already moved on with the club having since signed Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic.
Co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital will also be happy to get Arrizabalaga's wages off their outgoings in the long term having taken measures to improve matters on that front in the summer.
The report adds that Real would be prepared to include backup goalkeeper Andriy Lunin in any proposal, although that appears unlikely given that Chelsea will eventually have plans to include Gabriel Slonina in their senior ranks.
Lunin's contract expires at the end of the season so any part-exchange agreement would be dependent on the Ukraine international extending his contract at Real.
