Real Madrid will sign a new goalkeeper with Thibaut Courtois, David de Gea and Kepa Arrizabalaga on their radar

• e-mail

Real Madrid are looking to sign a new goalkeeper with manager Zinedine Zidane concerned that his team lack sufficient quality between the posts.

Keylor Navas' error against minnows Fuenlabrada on Tuesday night intensified the debate over whether Real should push forward with recruitment plans in January, or to wait until the summer.

They could move for Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in the winter window - but also view Manchester United's David de Gea or Chelsea stopper Thibaut Courtois as attainable options at the end of the season.

Real Madrid see Thibaut Courtois and David de Gea as attainable targets in the summer

Real could move for Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in a January transfer deal

Arrizabalaga has just six months left on his contract and looks a cheaper option, while both De Gea and Courtois have 18 months left on their Premier League deals. 

Current Real first-choice Navas was back between the posts on Tuesday but failed to save Luis Milla's shot from distance in the Copa del Rey and the error almost cost his team their place in the competition.

At the weekend, Madrid's No 2 Kiko Casilla allowed a shot from distance against Malaga to further raise concerns.

There is a desire to sell Casilla and bring in some serious competition for Navas but the doubt is whether to activate that plan in January or in the summer.

Madrid have the option of speaking to Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in January because he will be in the last six months of his contract.

Arrizabalga, 23, could turn up at the start of the year with Athletic getting a transfer fee instead of seeing him leave for nothing in the summer. It would suit Madrid because the young Spain keeper could play Champions League football.

The alternative is to wait until the summer when Madrid's options will be greater and they could move for former targets De Gea and Courtois.

Both been looked at before and Madrid see both as available albeit for considerably more financial outlay then Kepa.

Courtois has never made a secret of his desire to return to Madrid, where he played on loan for Atletico, and De Gea has twice been on the verge of the Bernabeu only for Real to end up sticking with Navas.

Even if Athletic's Kepa fails to move to Real , he could still be a vital part of the 2018 goalkeeping merry-go-around because if United lose De Gea or if Chelsea lose Courtois, they are likely to move for Atletico Madrid keeper Jan Oblak, and Atletico would look to sign Kepa as Oblak's replacement.