Premier League ambition is what sealed the Leeds United deal, reveals Kiko Casilla

Casilla admitted that the offer from Leeds have given him a “new challenge in English football” after he left Real Madrid and signed a four-and-a-half year contract at Elland Road.

The 32-year-old Spain international was unveiled this morning and is expected to be in contention for a debut away at Stoke City on Saturday.

Leeds, who has set a new keeper as a priority in the January transfer window, pulled off the signing from the Bernabeu after agreeing to finance the final 18 months of Casilla’s contract in Madrid

Talking to LUTV, Leeds United’s official station, Casilla said: “I’m really happy. I want to start a new challenge in English football and I’m really keen to start as soon as possible.

“Leeds United is a really historic club in England, with a massive fanbase that is perfect. My desire is to help put the club in its real place in the Premier League.”

Casilla played in Spain while United head coach Marcelo Bielsa managed Athletic Bilbao and revealed that he had canvassed players who worked under Bielsa before agreeing to make the move to Elland Road.

“I have a lot of information from when he worked in Spain,” Casilla said. “I watched the teams when he worked there and I talked with former players who worked with him. They told me amazing things. I’m really happy to work with him.

“I want to try and help my team with my experience but always being natural and humble. I like keepers who stay calm. For me this is the best trait for a goalkeeper and this is important in my way of play.”

Casilla was rarely used by Real, a club he represented in two different spells, but he was involved in the squads who secured three successive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018.

“Even with that group of the players, we didn’t assume it would be realistic to win three in a row,” Casilla said.

“Perhaps in time, 30 years or 40 years later, all the people will talk about this team who won three Champions Leagues consecutively. It was a pleasure to be part of it but for me this is the past now. I need to focus on the future and the most important thing for me is Leeds.”