Athletic Club calm on the future of Real Madrid target

Athletic Club head coach Jose Angel Ziganda is hopeful that highly rated goalkeeper Kepa will ignore interest from Real Madrid and sign a new long-term deal with the club.

Kepa has entered the final 12 months of his existing deal and has been heavily linked with a summer move to Madrid in recent days.

The reigning European champions are reportedly eyeing the 22-year-old as a long-term replacement for Keylor Navas after ending their interest in Manchester United ace David De Gea.

However, Athletic Club remain hopeful that Kepa will ignore interest from the biggest club in the world and continue his development at the San Mames.

“I have no reason to be pessimistic regarding Kepa’s renewal,” Football Espana quote Ziganda as telling reporters after Athletic Club’s 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

“I prefer to think positive thoughts rather than negative but this is just the situation, I see him every day and I know he is calm and enjoying himself at the club.”

Kepa is currently the highest rated goalkeeper in La Liga this season after garnering an impressive rating of 7.52 in four league appearances thus far.