Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin faces an uncertain future not because he is not wanted at the club, but because he does not wish to continue as a second fiddle to Thibaut Courtois.
At present, a lot has been said in that regard, but the player, in an interview with MARCA, shed light on the subject, saying that although he wants to stay, his future depends on the decision of Real Madrid.
"Obviously [I want to stay]. But well, the only thing I can say is that everything went well with Madrid and now it’s in Madrid’s hands. That’s what I can say about my future," said the keeper.
"I don’t know what’s going to happen either. Instead of starting when it’s my turn because of the holidays, I’ll start on Monday the 15th."
"I want to be with the team from the first day because that’s what I want."
"If I didn’t want to be here I would have taken the whole holiday, but I want to come back now and continue because I’m in the best team in the world," he added.
Lunin was arguably one of Madrid’s best players last season, playing a key role in their Champions League glory. However, upon Thibaut Courtois’ return, the Ukrainian lost his place and this is where the issues began.
Speaking about his competition, he admitted that if your competitor is Courtois, you are certain to be the second option.
"If you think from the start that you are 100% second and that you can’t reach the top, it’s better not to start the pre-season or anything."
"And I understand that everything is going to be complicated because Courtois is one of the best goalkeepers in the world."
"But this also makes me better and stronger mentally. I want to play everything and be number 1, but that’s normal because it’s what all the players want," he explained.
Speaking of Courtois, Lunin also shed light on the Champions League final, where he missed the team’s collective trip to London due to illness. He remembered,
"I had a fever, I was really bad… I was really bad for two days, I thought I was going to die."
"I went to Valdebebas, but they did a test and told me I was contagious. As a precaution, they left me out, but thank goodness I was able to be there in the end."
When asked about his chances of playing in the final, he added, "I don’t know, Ancelotti didn’t tell me anything because he wasn’t there. You can ask the manager."
It must be noted that Lunin is currently wanted by a host of Premier League teams, including Liverpool and Arsenal. While he still has a renewal offer from Real Madrid, the keeper the decided nothing as of today.