Transfer Centre

Zinedine Zidane: 'I don't need a new goalkeeper'

By Neil Wilkes, Editor-in-chief | 06 January 2018

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane says that he has no "need" for a new goalkeeper, despite reports that the club are on the verge of signing Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has insisted that he has no "need" for a new goalkeeper, despite reports suggesting that the club are on the verge of bringing in Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao.

Los Blancos are believed to be in the hunt for a long-term successor for Keylor Navas and have been linked with big-money moves for Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois and Manchester United stopper David de Gea over the last year.

Reports in Spain suggest that Madrid have agreed a deal for 23-year-old Arrizabalaga in recent days, with some suggesting that he has already passed a medical and will become a Real player this month.

Speaking to the press today, however, Zidane has said that he has no desire to address the situation between the sticks until the end of the season at the earliest.

"I don't care [about the winter market], I've only been a coach for two years, but I don't see how signing a player in it can be inconvenient," Marca quotes him as saying. "As a coach, I don't need a goalkeeper at the moment. If that changes by June or if we sit down and talk about it, we may sign players in certain positions.

"In two years, no player has arrived in that position and [in June] we can discuss it. For now I'll only talk about the players that I have, out of respect for them."

On Thursday, AS claimed that Arrizabalaga's Madrid contract had two options for start dates - January 2018 or June 2018 - and the club would allow Zidane the choice of when to officially sign him.