Come next season, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti could end up with three top goalkeepers at his disposal or just one.
Thibaut Courtois will be recovered from his ACL injury and ready to go, and could be joined by Andriy Lunin, his deputy for a while now, as well as Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is currently on loan at the club and has expressed his desire to continue for longer.
At the same time, though, Courtois could end up being the only goalkeeper left at Ancelotti’s disposal if Lunin opts to go elsewhere in search of a starting berth and Kepa is not signed permanently.
In the latter scenario, the Merengues would have to enter the market for a new backup and long-term heir to Courtois.
As such, Real Madrid have identified 20-year-old Penarol goalkeeper Randall Rodriguez as a target to reinforce the position in the summer of 2024, reports AS.
Real Madrid are looking favourably on his development in recent months after his surprise performance at the Under-20 World Cup in Argentina last summer.
A product of Penarol’s youth system, Rodriguez has become one of the most talked-about young footballers in Uruguay, even though he is yet to make a big splash at the first-team level with his club.
Standing at 1.89m tall, the 20-year-old is considered one of the future gems in the South American nation. His performances during the U-20 World Cup helped him make a name for himself among the elite.
Although no initial contacts have been made between Real Madrid and Penarol yet, the formula put forward by the board would be to sign Rodriguez for the Castilla team initially.
The Merengues intend on following the model that was put in place for Federico Valverde, who spent his first few years in Europe with the reserve team before making the leap to the first team.
It should be noted that relations between Penarol and Real Madrid continue to be excellent after the operation with the midfielder.
However, at the moment, it is unclear whether Los Blancos would sign Rodriguez on a permanent transfer or a loan with an option to buy.
It must be noted that the goalkeeping situation in Castilla also generates debate, with the continuity of Lucas Cañizares in the air, potentially opening up a spot for the Uruguayan.