In a surprise move, Spanish club Real Madrid has announced the signing of goalkeeper Kiko Casilla from RCD Espanyol. The new signing came at the heels of an announcement that former team captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas has been transferred to Portuguese club Porto. It was widely speculated that Manchester United's David De Gea was being eyed as Casillas' replacement.

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On Friday, July 17, the official Real Madrid website made the announcement that Casilla has joined the team. In the statement, the 28-year-old player is revealed to have been trained by the Real Madrid football academy from 2000-2007. He had a short stint with the Real Madrid first team back in the 2006/07 season when he suited up as third choice goalkeeper.

Casilla is coming back to the Santiago Bernabeu from Spanish La Liga side RCD Espanyol. He is also a member of Spain's national team like former Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas. Incidentally, another goalkeeper from the Spanish squad, David De Gea, has been linked to a transfer to Madrid instead of Casilla.

Real Madrid boasts that Casilla is the keeper who has chalked up the most saves in the past two seasons of La Liga.  According to a report by the BBC, Real Madrid kept a 50% stake in the player ever since he left for Espanyol back in 2007. Now that he is back, he will be fighting for position in the first team with Keylor Navas and Fernando Pacheco who have been standing in line behind Iker Casillas.

Following a season where the team failed to neither defend their Champions League title nor win the Spanish La Liga crown, major changes have been made. Manager Carlo Ancelotti has been sacked and replaced by Rafa Benitez. Team captain Iker Casillas has been transferred and co-captain Sergio Ramos is also in the center of transfer speculations.

According to another report by BBC, new manager Benitez has insisted that key defender Ramos in not leaving the team. He was also spotted early in the summer visiting Welsh striker Gareth Bale and reassuring him of his place in the Real Madrid squad for the upcoming season. 

Tagsreal madrid, Transfer, Kiko Casilla, goalkeeper, Espanyol, Iker Casillas, David De Gea, Sergio Ramos, Rafa Benitez