Real Madrid have reportedly identified Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen as their number one choice to replace Thibaut Courtois when the Belgian's time at Bernabeu comes to an end.
Courtois, 32, missed the majority of last season with a serious knee injury, but he returned to help Los Blancos win the Champions League final, and he has made five appearances for Carlo Ancelotti's side this term, keeping three clean sheets in the process.
The Belgian remains one of the best goalkeepers in world football, and he has another two years left to run on his contract, but Real Madrid are planning for the future.
Andriy Lunin made 31 appearances for Los Blancos last season in Courtois's absence, but the 25-year-old is not thought to be viewed by the capital giants as a number one, and there is a strong chance that he could be on the move during next summer's transfer window.
According to Fichajes, Real Madrid have already made a decision over the ideal replacement for Courtois, with the club wanting to bring in Verbruggen from Brighton.
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Real Madrid 'looking' to sign Verbruggen from Brighton
The report claims that Verbruggen's rise has caught the attention of senior figures at Real Madrid, including club president Florentino Perez, with the Dutchman viewed as the perfect long-term number one.
Brighton have the stopper on a contract until June 2028, as he penned a five-year deal with the Seagulls upon his arrival from Anderlecht in the summer of 2023.
However, the Premier League club will find it incredibly difficult to keep hold of him if Real Madrid come calling.
Verbruggen has made 29 appearances for Brighton since his arrival, including two outings this term, and he was between the sticks against Arsenal in the Premier League last time out.
He is also now the number one for the Netherlands, playing every minute of their Euro 2024 campaign, which ended with a defeat to England in the semi-finals of the competition.
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When will Courtois leave Real Madrid?
Courtois is unlikely to leave Real Madrid before the end of his contract unless something drastic happens, as he is still one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
However, it would not be a shock to see Verbruggen arrive next summer and become the Belgian's understudy during the 2025-26 campaign with a view to becoming the number one in 2026-27.
Real Madrid added two new attackers to their squad during the recent transfer window, with Endrick and Kylian Mbappe moving to Bernabeu.
However, the 2025 market is expected to be a lot busier for Los Blancos, with a centre-back and central midfielder likely to arrive to boost the squad.
Matt Law
