Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has revealed that it will take a ‘few months’ before he decides where his future lies.
Jose Mourinho says that he has no plans to sell Courtois but the player isn’t sure what the future has in store for him.
He told Spanish publication El Mundo Deportivo:
“It is not certain. I’ll see in a few months where my future will be.”
The 21-year-old signed for the Stamford Bridge club in January 2011 but is yet to make an appearance for his parent club as he was loaned straight back to former club Genk and has spent the last couple of seasons on loan at Atletico Madrid.
Courtois has really made a name for himself during his time in La Liga winning the Europa League, Super Cup (against Chelsea) and the Copa del Rey with Diego Simeone’s side. The Belgian is considered one of the best young goalkeepers in world football so it is unsurprising that there’s a load of interest in him.
Veteran stopper Petr Cech is still Chelsea’s main man between the sticks and this presents something of a problem for Courtois as well as a dilemma for Chelsea. There would be no good reason for the Blues to oust Cech from his place in the side whilst Courtois represents a long term option and knows he can get first team football elsewhere.
But the Blues are reluctant to let the youngster leave and Jose Mourinho is adamant that it will be he who decides on his future. However, it will be tough to convince him to stay on if Cech’s to remain first choice when the Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid are knocking at the door.
After scouting, investing in him and allowing him to go to a club that has treated him well and allowed him to play regularly Courtois owes Chelsea at least a chance but that extends both ways as the club cannot expect the player to be content to spend his life on loan awaiting something more permanent and tangible. Ideally I would like to see him have a crack at Cech’s place just as the Czech international went for Carlo Cudicini’s.
