Carlo Ancelotti recently said that no one will leave Real Madrid during this transfer window. This means that the goalkeeper of the Ukrainian national team Andriy Lunin will continue to sit behind Thibault Courtois on the bench of the "creamy" ones, having no chance to play even in cup matches. Since 2018, Lunin's matches for Real Madrid can be counted on the fingers - and this situation will definitely not change in the near future.
If it were not for Thibaut Courtois’ injury in the fall, the Ukrainian goalkeeper could only count on the match of the first stage of the Spanish Cup against a team from the lower leagues.
Talks intensified about Lunin's dissatisfaction with the small amount of playing time and the desire to change the club. Among the possible candidates is the middle-class Segunda Oviedo, where the Ukrainian goalkeeper already played three years ago.
In fact, Lunin's choice is quite simple:
New agreement with Real Madrid. Lunin's current agreement ends in a year and a half. Real Madrid is completely satisfied with the situation with Lunin. There is a rather young second number who does not have any health problems. Thibault Courtois is only 30 years old. For at least 5 years he can play at the highest level. There are no prerequisites for changing the main goalkeeper for Real Madrid.
Here the question is exclusively Lunin himself: is he ready to exchange playing practice and development for good financial conditions and the well-being of his own family? If Lunina is satisfied with the place of the second goalkeeper, then Real will only be happy about this. And there the son of Santiago Canizares will gain experience, Ferran Catlas will grow up. Lunin will then be able to leave the team with the prefix "former Real Madrid goalkeeper".
Rumors about Oviedo are only pressure on Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti. If you want Lunin to stay, give him a new and improved contract and let's play more. Because you will be looking for a new second number. It's not always easy and cheap. Do you need it?
Club change. Lunin was considered one of the main talents of Europe. But he is already almost 24 years old, and in La Liga he has about 10 matches. No matter how hard he trains, there will be no progress without game practice, and time goes by. Now Lunin is already perceived as an undiscovered talent. The deaf reserve of Madrid and the status of the third goalkeeper of the national team after Buschan and Trubin.
Something needs to change. There are fewer hopes for the Madrid miracle every year. Lunin has a year and a half left on his contract. His transfer fee will not be high. If you want, you can find a decent club. Real Madrid will also not be against the transfer in order to recoup some of the money spent on the Ukrainian. Only they are unlikely to let him go in the middle of the season. You don't want to be left without a backup goalkeeper if you play on three fronts. So we have to wait until summer.
Clubs from the top 5, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands open up opportunities for the Ukrainian goalkeeper to somehow revive his career. We need a good agent who will lobby the Ukrainian.
Rent. Get playing practice so that later you can come back stronger or have the opportunity to change clubs.
Now they are talking about a possible loan at Oviedo. Lunin has already played the second part of the 2019/20 season there. The same goalkeeping coach Sergio Segura, who worked with Lunin before, remained in the team. But this is only the middle peasant of the Segunda, who has no chance of either promotion or relegation. A typical middle peasant without prospects. For Lunin, there will be no pressure of responsibility, and he will be able to get game practice there. In winter, something more serious is hard to find.
Only in this lease there are more questions than answers. What will Lunin take for himself in the middle peasants of the Segunda? Why "Oviedo" Lunin, if there are no tournament tasks for the club? And who will be Real Madrid's number two, playing on three fronts? All this is possible if Madrid find another goalkeeper. Without this, Lunin will not leave anywhere. For the interests of Real Madrid come first.
Return to Ukraine. At first glance, this is a fantastic option. But if you dive into the details, then it looks realistic. Dnepr-1 is fighting for the championship. Considering the loss of their leaders by Shakhtar and Dynamo, Oleksandr Kucher's team's chances are increasing. The goalkeeper's question is not "hot", but relevant. The Brazilian Max Valef cannot boast of super reliability. It was not in vain that Orest Kostya from Metalist was invited to watch. Lunin can become a powerful weapon for the Dniprians in the spring in the fight for "gold" or as a goalkeeper in the Champions League in the summer.
Dnipro is not a foreign city for Andrey. The goalkeeping coach of the "sport clubs" Valery Gorodov helped Lunin's development in adult football while playing for Dnipro. The coach and the goalkeeper maintained a good relationship. Evgeny Krasnikov is also not a stranger to Lunin. Thanks to him, Lunin moved to the youth team of Dnipro together with Mikhail Mudrik. In Ukraine, Andriy will be able to have 100% match practice, regain confidence, get in shape, play in the Champions League/LE, be under the supervision of the national team coaches, and only then return to Spain in better shape.
Everything here depends on the good nature of Real Madrid, which, for the sake of the progress of its goalkeeper, must take on the goalkeeper's salary. Well, and from Lunin's desire to return home. If there are no other options in the summer, then the Dnipro-1 option looks pretty good from all sides.
Sergei TISHCHENKO