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Zinedine Zidane 'hints at Thibaut Courtois sale'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 02 April 2019

Zinedine Zidane 'hints at Courtois sale'

Zinedine Zidane says that "there will be no debate" about who his first-choice keeper is come the start of next season, amid claims that Thibaut Courtois could be sold.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has appeared to hint that goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois could be sold after just one season at the club.

The 26-year-old completed a £35m switch from Chelsea to Madrid last summer following months of speculation.

Courtois's debut campaign at the Bernabeu has not gone to plan, though, as Real have endured a terrible season and the Belgian keeper has struggled to win over supporters.

Zidane has used Keylor Navas and son Luca Zidane in his first two matches back in charge, but that could be down to an injury Courtois has been carrying.

Asked about the keeper's future during his midweek press conference on Tuesday, however, Zidane refused to state whether he was part of his long-term plans.

"I assure you that next year there will be no debate about the goalkeeper," he told reporters.

"Will I play with a regular goalkeeper next year? That depends on the keepers that I will have in my squad. At the moment I have three good ones. But there will be certainly no debate, I tell you that now. It's going to be pretty clear."

Courtois has kept eight clean sheets in 24 La Liga appearances this season, fewer than the likes of David Soria and Pau Lopez of Getafe and Real Betis respectively.