8 Feb 2015

'He wants to leave': Liverpool close-to-signing 'extraordinary' €10m World-Cup star. Done Deal soon?

After a series of superb performances in las summer's World Cup, Liverpool were heavily linked with a move for Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who ultimately ended up signing for Real Madrid. Navas is rotting away on the bench at the Bernabeu, and new reports suggest that the Reds have reignited interest in the 27-year old stopper.

According to multiple reports this weekend:

* Liverpool are 'finalising' a deal to sign Navas, and are in the process of making an official bid.

* Navas is 'unsettled' at Real Madrid and is open to a move away.

The story so far:

FEB 2014: The The Mirror reported that LFC scouts had delivered 'rave reviews' about Navas' performances.

MAR 2014: reports claimed the Reds had 'made an enquiry' about Navas, and that Liverpool were 'confident' of sealing a summer deal.

JUL 2014: the Daily Mail claimed that Liverpool were still monitoring Navas, and considering an official bid.

Navas's performances last season helped Levante achieve the 5th best defensive record in La Liga, and he notched up 19 clean sheets along the way, which is a stunning achievement. Additionally, if it wasn't for conceding 7 goals in one game against Barcelona, Navas's goals-conceded stats would've been even more impressive.

Levante manager Joaquin Caparras attributed much of his team's success to Navas' superb goalkeeping, and in January, he enthused:

“Navas is having a spectacular season. He's the best keeper in the league right now and that is a privilege for us. Other clubs know the situation.”

After Navas's penalty shootout heroics in the World Cup, Costa Rica manager Jorge Luis Pinto went one further, insisting:

"He is one of the best in the world. We trusted him and he was in control during the penalties. He has grown and is an extraordinary man, which was recognised today."

Things have gone pear-shaped for Navas at Real Madrid, though, and according to his Agent, he wants out. Earlier this week, he told reporters:

"Keylor Navas has told Real Madrid that he wants to leave."

In December, CONCACAF anointed Navas their 'Player of the Year', but with only seven appearances for Madrid this season (7 goals conceded; 2 clean sheets), he's barely getting the chance to show the kind of form that earned him that accolade.

Is Navas - who cost Madrid €10m in the summer - an upgrade on Mignolet?

Author:


20 comments:

  1. How is he on our nemesis, crosses?

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  2. That's an excellent line-up.

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  3. And you also have Gerrard, Lukas, Markovic and Lambert- we should play the most attacking, high tempo game ever. concede 2, score 4- better than last season, cause with Sakho and better mids(defensevly) we could keep some clean sheets...

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  4. 4-2 sounds great to me. We could blitz them with our array of attacking talent. I'd like to think there's still a spot for Balotelli somewhere. He can surely contribute at least a bit. Disappointed at Lucas being injured, but we just need one midfielder to annoy Eriksen the whole match while another cuts off passing opportunities and blocks runners. Think we definitely have the players for a result - just a matter of tactics and execution. Preferably of Harry Kane (I jest).

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  5. Good keeper. Another La Liga gem is Diego Alves. Man's saved more than half the penalties he's faced in the league. He takes offence at trespassers in his area and is a genuine leader from the back. I watch Valencia just to see him play. A long shot but I'd love to see us try.

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  6. In fairness that doesn't mean much..

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  7. Can and Hendo are more than capable of shutting down Eriksen. But Hendo, as the rest of our team looks like 55 minutes is their maximum- we could us 2 goals difference by halftime, and than send Stevie and Lambert for some romantic goals...

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  8. One of my favorite homerisms. My favourite though is " don't eat me I have a wife and kids.........eat them"

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  9. Kolo (and the team) win ACN

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  10. Nope not Gerrard. We need to either put Kolo in the back line, or take a risk and put in Lovren, which could equally reap rewards.

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  11. Should have been a loss though. Bittersweet.

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  12. It's the reaping of disaster I am afraid of and in the summer I was in favor of his signing. So low he has dropped in my estimation.

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  13. I'd love Navas. Extremely underrated until this past year, and with Casillas solidifying his play at Real, I don't blame him for wanting time.


    I think he's definitely an upgrade to Mignolet, at least currently. He's quicker off his line and better in the air, and just as good in the dive. He should be entering his prime in a year or two, so that's always a plus as well. The biggest factor for me is his price. If Navas truly wants out, it shouldn't be an issue, but then again this is Real...they won't want to take a loss on someone they just bought a year ago...

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  14. Another chancy dig with small money expectation of similar to Coutinho return. If he was that good, won't have benched behind Casilas who was in shambles in Madrid derby. Stop these & please pay good money for Petr Cech. BR is scared of big club's big players; always try to go for mid table clubs or Big clubs unsettled players.


    I see Jones keeping for us us again next year same time.

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  15. A Gerrard piledriver and Lambert heading in a Stevie G free kick... Oh yeah.

    Agreed about the 55 minutes - this is why I thought we could use reinforcements in January. Lucas is injured, too, which leaves us a bit thin. Oh, well. Can and Hendo will just have to bust a gut. They can get free massages afterwards!

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  16. Youre an idiot, Chelsea will never sell one of their prime players to Liverpool even if BR was Joses brother. We buy who we can - the club often goes for high status players but we get snubbed - we don't pay the wages because we can't. Stop blaming the manager as if he could have bought people but decided to buy crap as an equal choice.

    All managers want unlimited funds and want to worlds best players as it makes their job easier - what youre suggesting is our manager is intentionally making his own job harder.

    Just accept this is not FIFA 15, its real life.

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  17. Yeah yeah yeah yeah! As JPGR would of said! More shite from the shite peddlers!
    we'll get all the players linked with us, when Dick docks! And he hasn't a boat yet!
    All my arse!!!

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  18. This is the time for Lovren to justify his fee. We have to give the guy a chance, just like Sakho, Lucas and Hendo. If he comes good then the defence is sorted and the midfield is massively improved by having Can in his rightful position.
    If he fails, then we know for sure he cannot cope and we get rid in the summer.
    Gerrard and Allen should play as little as possible, particularly if it is to be in DM.

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