Kiko Casilla 'planning on Real Madrid stay'

Real Madrid goalkeeper Kiko Casilla has insisted that he wants to stay and "fight" for his place at the Bernabeu, despite struggling for first-team football last season.

The Spaniard joined Real Madrid from Espanyol last summer and only made seven first-team appearances during the 2015-16 campaign, just four of which came in the league.

Number one goalkeeper Keylor Navas is expected to miss the start of the new season with an Achilles problem, however, and Casilla has vowed to battle for his spot in the Spanish capital.

"I plan on staying. Why? To fight. If I had x number of games this year, then next year I want more. I want to help the team, to compete, and to play as much as I can," Casilla told Marca.

"I'll compete for how much the coach wants me to play, whether that's one, 10 or 15 games, and I'll be prepared. If he needs us, we're here. He wants me to stay, so I'm doing the right things."

Casilla came through the youth system at Real Madrid, but did not make a single first-team appearance for the Spanish giants before moving on to Espanyol in 2007.