The Big Shock-
There have been plenty of recent reports claiming that Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois is not willing to sign a new contract with the Blues as he is keen on a move away. Courtois reportedly wants a move to Real Madrid and is hoping that the European Champions come calling soon.
Zinedine Zidane has already hinted that he is interested in Blues superstar Eden Hazard publicly and is ready to bring him to the Santiago Bernabeu. Chelsea will now have to battle extremely hard to keep a hold of their quality players after the Spanish giants come knocking on the door. The Belgian winger is on the wish-list for a possible replacement for Gareth Bale and now his national compatriot Courtois is also on the radar as the Madrid outfit is on a red alert.
Courtois penned a deal with Chelsea in 2011, but was sent to Atletico Madrid on loan to develop his career, as Petr Cech was the first choice keeper for the London club but is now widely regarded as one of the best keepers in the world
Courtois has been immense for Chelsea since his arrival from Atletico Madrid on loan in 2014. Courtois also helped the Spanish outfit claim the La Liga title after beating giants Barcelona and Real Madrid in their own dominated league.
When he returned to Stamford Bridge, Courtois helped Chelsea to two Premier League titles in three years including one league cup. And the brilliant shot-stopper has now built a massive reputation for himself with Real Madrid interested in swopping for him.
Courtois has not yet signed a contract extension with Chelsea which has raised speculations about his future at the club. His current deal with Chelsea expires on June 2019 but with the Spanish champions lurking a move back to Spain seems inevitable.
The 25 year old keeper is keen on moving away from Stamford Bridge, but reports claim he is still happy at Chelsea. Courtois has already proven himself in the Premier League and may now look to take his game to the next level and win the most prestigious trophy in Europe, the Champions League.
Having played for the Madrid rival Courtois already has experience of playing in the La Liga so it wouldn’t be anything new for him. But a return to the Spanish capital would put Los Blancos keeper Keylor Navas’ future in serious jeopardy.
Madrid, however, have been constantly linked with Manchester United keeper David De Gea since the past few seasons, but if a move for the Spanish keeper fails, the Champions of Europe would definitely not mind welcoming Courtois to Madrid.
Editor’s View – Top Priority: League Retention?
Honestly, if the Blues are able to retain their Premier League title, it is highly likely that they will be able to keep hold of most of their top players and the Belgian international might change his decision as well. He might stick to the west London giants and stay back with Conte and his team.
Due to this, it should be the focus of the Italian manager to win as many titles in the current campaign as possible, which will build more unity within the squad.