Real Valladolid Interested in Taking Andriy Lunin on Loan

Andriy Lunin was expected to be the back-up to Thibaut Courtois this season, but Keylor Navas has not found a new club. The Costa Rican appears to prefer to stay at Madrid and battle Courtois for the #1 spot for a second consecutive season. Lunin, 20, cannot afford another season with very limited minutes. The goalkeeper is an elite prospect and recently showed off his skill level at the U20 World Cup where he became Champion with Ukraine and won the prestigious “Golden Glove” award.

According to multiple outlets in Spain (Marca, Cope, and journalist Jose Luis Sanchez), Valladolid is heavily interested in taking Andriy Lunin on a season-long loan. Last season, Lunin spent the year at Leganes but struggled for minutes as Ivan Cuellar was given the starting position by Mauricio Pellegrino. That didn’t stop the Leganes coaching staff from showering Lunin with constant praise, claiming he is a Champions League level goalkeeper.

In order to continue his development, a loan move could be the best option, but Madrid must ensure he gets quality minutes prior to his transfer. At Valladolid, Lunin would become the fourth Real Madrid loanee in the squad joining Javi Sanchez, Jorge De Frutos, and potentially Takefusa Kubo. The relationship between club owner (and former Real Madrid legend) Ronaldo Nazario and Florentino Perez is obviously paying dividends for both clubs as the relegation contenders beef up in quality while Madrid have a first division team to help develop their young players.