Nothing lasts forever, and Real Madrid know that too well, having seen Toni Kroos retire and Luka Modric leave in the past two years. Some goalkeepers can play into their late thirties and often peak at age 30.
Thibaut Courtois remains one of, if not, the best goalkeepers in the world and isn't letting the number one jersey go anytime soon. The Belgian has been at the Bernabeu since 2018 and has is up there with Iker Casillas when it comes to shot-stopping abilities.
Courtois' current contract expires in 2027 and when he signed his extension back in July 2025 he insisted he wanted to retire at the club. But there needs to be a contingency plan in place for Madrid to replace one of the best goalkeepers in football history.
Here we look at five keepers who could be in the frame to do so.
Andriy Lunin
Starting off with Andriy Lunin who fills in for Courtois when the Belgian is sidelined. The Ukrainian did a stellar job between the sticks back in the 2023-24 season, playing a crucial role in Madrid's Champions League win, including penalty shootout heroics in the quarter-final against Manchester City.
Lunin's future is always the subject of speculation because he is playing backup to Courtois and that doesn't look like changing anytime soon. But he has shown he is capable of stepping up to the plate and has the confidence to be Los Blancos' number one.
El Nacional claimed in October that Florentino Perez views Lunin as the main contender to replace the Belgian long-term. But will the 26-year-old have the patience to wait for that day to come.
Guillaume Restes
Should Courtois continue at Madrid beyond his contract expiration date in 2027, that will give the club's transfer chiefs ample time to find a worthy heir. Scouring the globe for a young shot-stopper would be the way to go and there aren't many more promising goalkeeping talents than Guillaume Restes.
The 20-year-old is catching the eye at Toulouse in Ligue 1 and is definitely one to watch as the years progress. It might not be too long until he claims France's number one jersey if he keeps up his impressive displays.
There have been no links between the club and Restes but he does have European clubs keeping tabs. One of those is Newcastle United who were clearly impressed by his breakout campaign at the Olympic Games back in the summer of 2024.
David Raya
David Raya supported Real Madrid during his childhood and feels the most sensible name to replace Courtois if the Belgian calls time on his career next summer. The Spaniard is thriving at Arsenal, so much so, many believe he has eclipsed the Belgian and Liverpool's Alisson Becker as the world's best goalkeeper.
Madrid saw him up close in last season's Champions League quarter-finals and he has been superb for the Gunners this season. His affection for Los Blancos could come in handy if the club were to make their move.
The Sun reported in May 2025 that Raya was on the La Liga giants' wishlist if they were to look to replace Courtois. It may be a difficult deal to pull off, though, because the 30-year-old's contract doesn't expire until 2028, and he recently got a pay rise.
Diogo Costa
No major European club has swooped for Diogo Costa which might be something to consider given the FC Porto is among the most highly-rated goalkeepers in the world. The Portuguese shot-stopper remains in Liga Portugal at the age of 26 so he has yet to reach his prime.
There is risk in moving for Costa because he has yet to truly explode into an elite goalkeeper on the same level as a Raya, Courtois, Alisson and Gianluigi Donnarumma. But he has shown promise especially at club level in the Champions League.
Costa also possesses experience as he has been Portugal's number one for many years. The main issue is his €75m release clause which is a hefty fee for a goalkeeper whose contract isn't up until 2030.