Real Madrid outcast Kiko Casilla was absent from Santiago Solari’s Tuesday training session as Leeds United look to secure his signature, according to reports.
The Championship leaders have been linked with a January move for the third-choice stopper, which now looks all the more likely following the Spaniard’s recent absence from the Valdebebas training facilities.
Are Leeds Utd really signing Kiko Casilla? Five things to know…
- The 32-year-old is closing in on a deal with the West Yorkshire club, according to Sky Sports.
- Casilla’s partner, Rosa Isern, recently followed the official Leeds United account on Instagram, fuelling speculation.
- Casilla became available following the summer arrival of Thibaut Courtois.
- Jamal Blackman joined Leeds on a season-long loan last summer but returned to parent club Chelsea in November after breaking his leg.
- Casilla would offer direct competition with current first choice Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
Marcelo Bielsa is aiming to bring an end to the club’s 15-year Premier League exile following his appointment in the summer, and the Whites currently sit at the summit of the Championship.
[via Twitter/@SugarShane1998]
Having joined Los Blancos in 2015 from Espanyol, the veteran gloveman has largely played second fiddle to Keylor Navas, though he still managed to feature both domestically and on the European stage during Zinedine Zidane’s tenure.
As such, Casilla has clinched an abundance of silverware during his time at the Bernabeu, including three Champions League medals, a La Liga title and a Supercopa de Espana medal.
Bielsa is in dire need of reinforcements between the sticks, with Northern Ireland international Peacock-Farrell the only fit senior goalkeeper.
Leeds travel to the bet365 Stadium on Saturday to take on Stoke City as they aim to extend their lead at the top of the table.
Guardiola “a supporter of Leeds”
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has often spoken in awe of Marcelo Bielsa, once labelling him ‘the best coach in the world’ for his innovation and tactical nous.
And such is Bielsa’s influence over Guardiola, that the Catalan coach has even revealed he has been converted to a devout Leeds supporter, with the 47-year-old excited further about the prospect of a return to the top-flight for the club.
“I love him as a human being, he trained me when I was young in an incredible way, I feel his success like my success. I’m not involved in any way but I like the people I like doing well,” he told reporters.
“I think he’s the best because always I try to listen to what the players say about their manager because it’s the real truth. The other depends on the results, and for the guys in charge of the big clubs, it’s easier than the other ones.
“We win because we are in the big clubs with the big players. But everyone who works with him is a better player and the teams are better. That’s why he is a special manager and special person. I’m a supporter of Leeds and hopefully next season they can be in the Premier League, it would be good for the Premier League.
“I admire him for being the Argentina manager and being at big clubs and having the humility to go in the Championship, going to a historic team like Leeds [to try to] put them on top and back to the Premier League. I wish him all the best.”
The post Kiko Casilla skips Real Madrid training amid talk of Leeds transfer medical appeared first on Squawka News.
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