Thibaut Courtois' dream of joining Real Madrid has taken a step closer to becoming reality after Chelsea lodged a world-record bid for his replacement. With the transfer window deadline being right around the corner, the Blues did not waste any time and made an official bid for a goalkeeper.
That man is Athletic Bilbao shot-stopper Kepa, with Marca claiming that the London giant triggered his $93M release clause on Wednesday. Things moved very quickly to sign the 23-year-old as Chelsea met the price needed to lure him away from Spain, as stipulated in his contract.
An official announcement was released by the Spanish Primera Division in which they revealed that the player's release clause has been triggered, thus resulting in a termination of his contract. This will make the Spanish custodian the most expensive goalkeeper in history, surpassing the fee Liverpool splashed to sign Alisson from Roma.
Additionally, this clears the path for Courtois to join Los Blancos. The transfer saga involving the Belgian ace is well documented, with the 2018 World Cup Golden Glove winner openly pushing for the switch.
Maurizio Sarri's side has reportedly struck a deal with the Champions League holder that will see him move to the Bernabeu for $49M. Thibaut will likely replace Navas as the number one choice at Real Madrid and could possibly make his debut in the upcoming UEFA Super Cup clash with his former club, Atletico Madrid.
