Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas looks to have won the battle with Diego López for the number one shirt next season with his counterpart seemingly on the way out of the club. López has cited concerns over a lack of first-team football as his reason for wanting out of the Bernabéu and his replacement, Costa Rican World Cup star Keylor Navas, has had his move delayed until one of the current two keepers leaves.
Casillas had been constantly linked with a move to Arsenal in the last year or so, but the arrival of David Ospina to rival Wojciech Szczęsny at the Emirates looks to have scuppered any hopes he may have had of playing in the Premier League in the immediate future.
Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly unwilling to sell Casillas, fearing a backlash from the fans over the loss of the man known as 'Saint Iker' in the Spanish capital. Having made almost 700 appearances for Los Merengues since 1999, he has achieved almost untouchable status at the club - José Mourinho's decision to drop him in the first place, leading to a rift between manager and team, directly led to his having to leave the club for Chelsea.
Despite the pair experiencing very different forms at the World Cup - Navas becoming a national hero, Casillas being blamed by many for the former Champions' early exit - Navas is likely to find himself second choice upon his arrival to Madrid, though an arrangement similar to last season is possible. Last year, López was Ancelotti's first choice keeper in the league, with Casillas starting in the cups, including the Champions League final victory over neighbours Atlético as Madrid lifted their tenth trophy with Casillas as captain - though it was his error which allowed Atlético to take the lead through Diego Godín.
For now though, Casillas looks to be back in between the posts for better or for worse. Should his form suffer as it has for his country recently, Navas will be thrust into the limelight, but this is arguably a selection crisis which many managers would relish the opportunity to try and solve.