Real Madrid made the decision not to make any last-minute moves in the market, but this didn't prevent offers from coming in. One of the most surprising proposals that landed on Florentino Pérez's desk was for Andriy Lunin, a goalkeeper who remains in Courtois's shadow. He is practically the "eternal" substitute and, although he has a contract until 2030, possible destinations have been sought for him.
The truth is that Florentino has always listened to offers for Lunin, as long as the Ukrainian has shown his willingness to leave. Despite this, the Ukrainian goalkeeper wasn't convinced by the last-minute offer that arrived for him to continue playing in Spain but leave Real Madrid.
No interest
"Defensa Central" has reported that Andriy Lunin himself rejected a proposal on the last day of the market to join Girona as the starting goalkeeper. The Catalan team wanted to take him on loan, giving him the chance to be important and get minutes in LaLiga. Despite this, the Ukrainian rejected any kind of interest, being very clear that his career depends on continuing at Real Madrid.
One of the reasons is because he believes that he can compete with Courtois for the starting spot. The Belgian is already over 30 years old and in recent times has shown physical problems. Andriy Lunin believes that he can be ready if that happens to earn Xabi Alonso's favor.
If he ever leaves Real Madrid, the Ukrainian is clear that it would be through a transfer and not a loan. Moreover, he believes that he is ready for a team with bigger ambitions than the current Girona.
In Courtois's shadow
Andriy Lunin's story at Real Madrid is that of a talented goalkeeper who has never managed to establish himself as the starter. He joined the club in 2018, at just 19 years old, as one of Europe's most desired goalkeeping prospects. However, from the start he encountered an insurmountable wall: Thibaut Courtois, the undisputed owner of the white goal for the past decade.
At 26 years old, Lunin has already played 62 official matches for Real Madrid, in which he has conceded 70 goals and kept a clean sheet on 22 occasions. These numbers reflect both his ability to respond in important moments and the difficulty of having continuity due to the competition.
In his few appearances, Andriy Lunin has shown feline reflexes, good one-on-one skills, and the ability to keep calm in high-pressure situations. However, the fact that he is usually a substitute has slowed his progress compared to what was expected when he signed from Ukrainian soccer.
The goalkeeper's future remains uncertain. On one hand, Real Madrid values his professionalism and the security he provides as Courtois's backup. On the other hand, Lunin is aware that, to make the definitive leap in his career, he needs continuity. What is clear is that, after seven years at the club, his time at Santiago Bernabéu will always be linked to the figure of the great Belgian goalkeeper.