Real Madrid have suffered a huge blow as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has reportedly ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in training.
The Belgian could now be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, potentially missing most of next season, in what is a devastating blow for Carlo Ancelotti.
Courtois picked up the injury in training this morning before undergoing medical tests, and journalist Miguel Angel Diaz has now revealed that the 31-year-old departed training “in tears” following the painful injury.
“Courtois was injured this morning in Real Madrid training. Medical tests are underway. The cruciate ligament of the knee could be affected. He left training in tears,” he tweeted.
With backup keeper Andriy Lunin previously looking set to depart this summer, Real Madrid may have no choice but to find a solution in the transfer market for the upcoming season.
Who could Real Madrid target to replace Courtois?
Given that Courtois could potentially be absent for the whole season, Real Madrid will now need a proven goalkeeper who can cover for the season before the Belgium international returns.
Courtois is held in high regard at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Florentino Perez describing him as “extraordinary” after he helped Real Madrid win the Champions League last year.
One option they could look at is David De Gea. The Spaniard is a free agent having been released by Manchester United, and famously almost moved to Real Madrid in 2015.
Whilst his best years are behind him, De Gea could be a solution for a season, with the 32-year-old very familiar with Madrid and La Liga given his previous stint at rivals Atletico.
Real Madrid were also considering David Soria as a backup option if Lunin was to leave, but it seems unlikely that they would be confident in him starting for a whole season.
With Los Blancos set to kick off their La Liga campaign on Sunday, they now face a huge dilemma of how to proceed with their goalkeeping situation going forward.