ACCORDING TO CHELSEA boss Jose Mourinho, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will return to Stamford Bridge next season after spending the last three years on loan with Atletico Madrid.
The highly-rated Belgian shot-stopper, currently preparing for his country’s World Cup opener against Algeria on Tuesday, moved to the Premier League side in 2011 from Genk but was immediately sent to Spain and is still to play competitively for his parent club.
But the 22 year-old has flourished in La Liga where he’s been an integral ingredient in Atleti’s recent success under Diego Simeone. Just last term, Courtois was crowned a league champion and finished as a Champions League runner-up. Since arriving at the club, he’s picked up a Copa del Rey winner’s medal and won a UEFA Super Cup too.
Last year, many questioned why Courtois was being ostracised by Chelsea given his obvious talent. With Peter Cech unchallenged for so long as the club’s number one, many felt Courtois could aid the sharpness and motivation of the team’s long-term goalkeeper. But, earlier this week, Courtois revealed that he had little intention of playing second-fiddle anywhere.
Now, with Mourinho revealing Courtois will be brought back from Madrid, attention turns to whether 32 year-old Cech will remain.
Speaking to MARCA, Mourinho said:
When the World Cup in Brazil is over, Courtois will be coming straight back to Stamford Bridge – end of story”.
Mourinho also remains ‘extremely confident’ that a deal for Diego Costa will be completed sooner rather than later. Last season, Chelsea struggled without a consistent striker to rely on and have closely monitored the Spanish international for quite a while.
Costa is a player I want in my team. I’ve asked the club to bring him in and I am extremely confident that we are going to get him and he’ll end up signing for Chelsea”.
