REAL’S LIFELINE FOR EXILE HART

England keeper to step in as Madrid set sights on Courtois or De Gea

MANCHESTER UNITED goalkeeper David de Gea is involved in a battle with Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois over who moves to Real Madrid this summer — with England No1 Joe Hart in line to replace the winner.

Courtois has edged ahead of his United rival in the affections of Real manager Zi nedine Zidane, with Chelsea willing to do business provided they can land striker Alvaro Morata from the Bernabeu.

But De Gea is determined not to let his dream move back to Madrid disappear for a second t i me and has made it clear to Jose Mourinho he wants to be allowed to leave Old Trafford.

Manchester Uni te d and Chelsea clash at Old Trafford today with De Gea hoping for a recall so he can be in the shop window with Courtois. He was set to join Real in 2015 until the deal collapsed.

The duel between him and Courtois has opened the door for Hart to get the move back to the Premier League that he wants after a season on loan with Serie A club Torino.

Hart, who turns 30 on Wednesday, is unwanted by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and the club will sell him for around £ 25million. Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has had positive reports of Hart’s form from contacts in Turin, where he managed Juventus.

Although the Blues ideally want to keep Belgian international Courtois, he enjoyed playing in the Spanish capital with Atletico and will run down the final two years of his contract if Chelsea don’t let him go.

Hart is high on Chelsea’s shortlist as a replacement should they have to let Courtois leave. Mourinho is also an a d mi re r of Hart, preferring vocal goal keepers who comman d their penalty area to the keeper-sweepers coveted by Guardiola.

Though the move would raise eyebrows, it is unlikely to cause the same bad blood as Carlos Tevez’s switch in the opposite direction in 2009.

City fans are aware that Hart isn’t Guardiola’s type of goalkeeper rather than the player himself angling for a move.

Everton will also be looking for a new goalkeeper in the summer but having spent a season outside the Champions League, Hart will be keen to return to Europe’s top table.