Keylor Navas staying at Real Madrid: Unlikely chance for the goalkeeper
Tuesday 8 September 2015 16:59, UK
Keylor Navas has the quality to seize his unlikely chance at Real Madrid, writes Adam Bate.
"Keylor Navas had offers to join some of the world's biggest clubs, but he wanted to play here." Florentino Perez's usual spiel upon signing the Costa Rican keeper last summer seems rather more significant now. While cast as a panic move by Manchester United amid farcical deadline day scenes, this makeweight is rather better than the treatment he's received.
According to De Gea's camp, when his contract was being negotiated in 2014, Van Gaal said 'let's wait because we might be able to get Navas'.
All the indications are that Louis van Gaal certainly thinks so. As Perez hinted, he'd been a target since last summer. "He's a goalkeeper that Van Gaal likes," said Sky Sports Spanish football expert Guillem Balague. "According to De Gea's camp, when his contract was being negotiated in 2014, Van Gaal said 'let's wait because we might be able to get Navas'."
Van Gaal will have noted his man of the match display against the Netherlands at the World Cup. Navas was even nominated for the Golden Glove with FIFA's technical report highlighting that performance as "heroic" and pointing to his "excellence in one-on-one situations, very good command of his area and outstanding reflexes" in Brazil.
But Navas is more than a World Cup wonder. His move to Real Madrid was earned thanks to his stunning performances in the Levante goal in the preceding season. Navas made more saves than any other player in Europe's top five leagues in 2013/14 and was picked ahead of Thibaut Courtois as La Liga's goalkeeper of the season.
"We have the best keeper in the league," said Levante owner Quico Catalan and it wasn't just because of the volume of saves. In a precursor to his World Cup efforts, Navas made key stops - injury-time brilliance against Almeria, a penalty kept out to earn a draw against Real Betis and a barely believable save from Ivan Rakitic that helped win a game against Sevilla.
He'd shine in any team.
"He'd shine in any team," then Levante boss Joaquin Caparros told La Nacion in Costa Rica. "He is a guy with great conditioning, very professional, who works hard and nobody has ever handed him anything on a plate. He has great reflexes, is very agile, very fast and very flexible. All this has improved and he has not peaked. He has a long career ahead of him."
Unfortunately, while his presence added to the pressure on the Real Madrid captain, that career stalled in the shadow of Iker Casillas's final season at the Bernabeu. In fact, it was Navas not Casillas who made an error on the final day of the campaign against Espanyol. But that is now the only goal he has conceded in his last six La Liga games.
Live La Liga Football
Real team-mates and fans are behind him. Indeed, Navas received an ovation following his penalty save in a 5-0 win over Betis last time out. Raphael Varane posted a picture on social media of them celebrating, while Marcelo hailed him as a "great goalkeeper", adding that the "players have confidence in him" and "he deserves everything and will help us a lot".
It was thought to be nothing more than show of support with a move imminent. "He's expected to double his money at Manchester United," said Balague on the eve of the deal. But fate had other plans for this devout Christian. Navas will be in Real's goal once more when they visit Espanyol this Saturday.
Psychologically, it's a tricky one. He must cope with the knowledge that his club were prepared to let him go. That the De Gea shirts were ready in the shop. That the presentation for his successor had been planned. The tangible disappointment in the corridors, the stands - maybe even the dressing room - will need to be shrugged off.
But Navas has the character to do just that. While Van Gaal might expect difficulties with David de Gea, Rafael Benitez is likely to be more relaxed. "He has done well," said Benitez this summer. "I only need one goalkeeper in each match and, as long as I have one, I'm happy." De Gea's disappointment is Navas's opportunity. Do not be surprised if he seizes it.
La Liga Football
Espanyol v Real Madrid on Sky Sports 3 HD at 5.15pm on Saturday
