When Carlo Ancelotti was asked about the prospect of Andriy Lunin keeping his place in the Real Madrid XI after another eye-catching display over the weekend, the Celtic linked goalkeeper may have been hoping for a somewhat warmer response. 
Instead, his quotes reported by Marca, the Real Madrid boss all-but confirmed that Andriy Lunin would be ‘rewarded’ by a place back on the bench, Kepa Arrizabalaga returning to the team sheet once the Chelsea loanee returns from injury.
“The important thing is that Lunin has been ready when Kepa was injured,” Ancelotti said. “I think (Kepa) will return in the game against Granada (next Saturday).”
Ancelotti’s comments, coming off the bench of claims from Andriy Lunin’s wife suggesting that a summer departure could be on the cards, feels like another big step in the right direction for Celtic’s hopes of luring the Ukraine international away from the Santiago Bernabau.
Celtic eye Real Madrid’s Andriy Lunin
“If there is a club that will let him play, I think we will leave,” Lunin’s partner wrote on Instagram recently, via Madrid Xtra. “If there is a club where he will be allowed to play, then of course we are ready to move.”
According to the Daily Record, Celtic have been scouting Lunin as they look for a potential Joe Hart replacement, the Englishman’s contract expiring in 2024. And Lunin has done very little during his brief spell in the Real XI to suggest that he should be content with life as a back-up in Madrid, the one-time Arsenal target keeping two clean sheets from three outings and saving a penalty in the Champions League against Braga.
If those performances have not earned Ancelotti’s trust, then Lunin could be forgiven for wondering what more he could do.
“At the end of last season, I was thinking about (leaving Madrid),” Lunin explained a couple of weeks ago (Madrid Xtra), comments which will not have gone unnoticed at Celtic.
“It’s normal (to consider a fresh start) when you don’t play. But Real Madrid has always been a dream since I was young. You don’t really want to leave. But you always want to play, you train to play, you want to feel the emotions of the games.
“We will see.”
Joe Hart’s Parkhead replacement?
Of course, with Kepa only on loan, with Ancelotti expected to go and with Thibaut Courtois a long way from returning following his ACL injury, Lunin’s situation at Real Madrid could look a lot rosier in 2024.
For now, however, it is hard to imagine that Lunin would not at least take an interest in what Celtic have to offer him.
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