The sudden pain that Thibaut Courtois experienced during Tuesday’s training session shattered all his carefully laid-out plans that Real Madrid had.
Everything that the player had been working towards came to a halt.
The goalkeeper, who was eagerly counting down the days to his return following his recovery from a left knee cruciate ligament injury, suffered another setback. It was a devastating blow for him, as all his hopes and efforts seemed to crumble in an instant.
All this has forced Real Madrid to alter their stance related to their goalkeepers and according to Sergio Gomez, in the wake of Courtois’ injury, Real Madrid have decided to offer a contract extension to Andriy Lunin.
Earlier this season, manager Carlo Ancelotti lacked faith in Lunin so much so that the Ukrainian was on the verge of an exit. However, Courtois’ injury in August forced the Italian to keep Lunin as a contingency.
For what it is worth, though, the 25-year-old has turned the tides with his performances, especially in the second half of the season and Gomez mentions that since his current deal runs until 2025, Madrid are willing to offer him an extension.
After all this while, the keeper believes that he has earned a place to be in Real Madrid’s playing XI. After all, being Real Madrid’s goalkeeper is tough and he has managed to do it and done so with some starring displays.
The 25-year-old has proven himself valuable, hence, suddenly benching him would have been unfair anyway. He thinks he has the skills and reputation to earn his place in the team.
Courtois’ injury has now once again put Lunin in the spotlight and having already ousted Kepa Arrizabalaga from the lineup, he will be an important presence for the team for the rest of the season.
With just one year remaining on his contract, Madrid are planning to offer him a renewal deal. He will consider it carefully, likely with a sense of urgency, especially given the uncertainty surrounding Courtois’ condition.
Lunin, while not at Belgian’s level, has demonstrated himself as a reliable goalkeeper whom Ancelotti can depend on in case of setbacks.
Moreover, he seems fully settled in Madrid. He has always shown a desire to stay, and now, extending his contract seems highly probable.