Iker Casillas’s 25-year association with Real Madrid drew nearer to a close on Monday night when his agent admitted the goalkeeper is interested in a move to Porto after a formal bid was submitted by the Portuguese club, manage by the Spaniard Julen Lopetegui.
“Iker is interested in Porto and Porto are interested in Iker. We hope Madrid facilitate his departure,” Casillas’s agent Carlo Cutropia told Portuguese media.
Madrid have not yet accepted the bid but they are determined to move Casillas on this summer. The pursuit of David de Gea was designed not only to bring in a goalkeeper destined to be the future of the Spanish national team but also to encourage the captain to finally depart. Finding a way of managing that has not been easy. Although names emerged periodically, few clubs were truly interested in paying significant money for Casillas.
Real had agreed with the player that they would make good the salary shortfall between the amount he receives at the Bernabéu, which is around €7.5m, and what he is offered elsewhere. The goalkeeper’s initial preference was to have the final two years of his contract paid off in full and walk away as a free agent. Madrid are reluctant to cover all the costs, although Porto were hopeful that his signing would not be costly.
“Iker is very interested in going to Porto,” Cutropia told the newspaper Record. “Madrid have an offer and they know what Casillas wants.”
Casillas was first called up to the Real Madrid first team squad while still at school, and has played 725 games for the club across 16 years, winning three European Cups. The 34-year-old is also the captain of Spain, for whom he has made a record 162 appearances, winning two European Championships and the World Cup.
