This Saturday night is the Eurovision Song Contest, and David De Gea's girlfriend will be carrying the Spanish flag during that continent-wide telecast of high camp and low-quality music. Edurne Garcia, one of the favourites for victory, is already in Vienna but has found herself reluctantly fielding questions about football.
"My boyfriend is working," she demurred to TV cameras. "He won't be able to come. The truth is I'm so happy to be here at Eurovision."
Injury permitting, De Gea will instead be staying in a luxury hotel near Hull preparing for Manchester United's last match of the Premier League season. But there is an expectation that despite United execs pulling out all the stops, the KC Stadium will be the last call on his three-year English exchange before he returns to Eturne's side for the summer and beyond, with Iker Casillas' Real Madrid goalkeeping jersey destined for his shoulders.
Manager Louis Van Gaal is never one to paint a pretty picture when the reality is uglier, and last weekend admitted he totally understood why a Spanish goalkeeper from Madrid might want to play in Madrid where his Spanish girlfriend lives.
"We have a list of goalkeepers who can replace him because we have to be organised always," the Dutchman said before De Gea came off with a minor injury against Arsenal on Sunday. Who might they be?
Sunday was the unexpected end of a long wait for Valdes, who finally donned the gloves in competitive action for United. Fans in Old Trafford's East Stand made him most welcome though there was regret that Tyler Blackett's boot redirected Theo Walcott's shot beyond the Catalan keeper for Arsenal's equaliser.
As someone who was a member of the best club side of the 21st century at Barcelona, Valdes can offer a wealth of experience to a squad just now finding its way back into the Champions League. Having joined as a free agent in January, a player of such standing would surely fancy himself to handle the pressure.
Despite Jose Mourinho's grumbles, Sunday will be Cech's final home game at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea's manager can do little to stop the four-time Premier League champion leaving, while Roman Abramovich has given imperial decree that Cech can pick the destination he so desires, part of a mutual agreement agreed upon in the summer of 2014.
Cech, who turns 33 this Wednesday, could replicate the professionalism and experience that Edwin Van Der Sar brought when joining United in 2005. "Arsenal, United or PSG are all top clubs," agent Viktor Kolar told Czech newspaper Sport on Tuesday. "Petr would like to join one of them, definitely."
Tottenham have relied on the consistency on their keeper-captain for three seasons, but how long will a player of his standing want to play Europa League football? The Champions League, in which Lloris played four seasons with Lyon, is where he wants to be according to those close to him.
A return to France with PSG has been mooted but a vacancy at United would be an enticing option. Should United make their move on Tottenham, who are reluctant to sell a player contracted until 2019 but always have their price, then another summer full of Spurs chairman Daniel Levy's manoeuvring will certainly follow.
When Sir Alex Ferguson signed De Gea in the summer of 2012, he did so after being thwarted in his attempt to sign German football's best young goalkeeper. Instead, Manuel Neuer chose Bayern and went on to become a great of the game.
Might United be more successful this time around? Leno has had an excellent season at Bayer and has been scouted as Real's possible cut-price alternative to De Gea, while also being linked with Arsenal. With Mats Hummels expected to arrive in the summer, could United's defence feature a German core next season?
Like De Gea, Slovenia's Handanovic has just one year left on his current contract but is likely to leave San Siro as the club tries to rebuild itself. Stoke's Asmir Begovic, a player who may also be on that shortlist that Van Gaal spoke of, is believed to be open to a move to Italy, with Inter a possibility; as a result Handanovic, a hero to Nerazurri fans, may be cashed in.
The 30-year-old's candidacy may not have been helped by a catastrophic error on Sunday that handed Juventus victory and seriously endangered Inter's hopes of playing European football next season.
De Gea's alma mater, Atletico is European football's goalkeeping finishing school. Cech is moving on after losing his place to Thibaut Courtois, after the Belgian spent three seasons loaned there, so the eyes of the continent are on Atleti's next prospect.
Oblak has been groomed for greatness after starring for Benfica's run to the Europa League last season. Injuries halted his progress until March but the 22-year-old, hardly towering for a goalkeeper at six-foot-one, has since suggested he could the next big thing, especially during the Champions League quarterfinal with Real Madrid.
Van Gaal's Dutch connections have already brought Daley Blind and Memphis Depay to United and his World Cup goalkeeper could be a target as well. Cillessen played well in Brazil under goalkeeping coach Frans Hoek, now at United, and fitting the LVG philosophy, but became most famous when being subbed for Tim Krul for a penalty shootout with Costa Rica.
Ajax, where is he is contracted until 2018, with manager Frank De Boer staying on until 2016, but a bid of £25 million plus could tempt them.
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