Thibaut Courtois latest: Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says Belgian goalkeeper will return to Stamford Bridge next season
Courtois, 22, has been linked with another loan move
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Your support makes all the difference.Jose Mourinho has announced Thibaut Courtois will return to Chelsea next season - setting up a potential battle for the No 1 shirt with Petr Cech.
The young Belgian stopper has spent the last three years with Atletico Madrid, becoming one of the best and most sough-after players in the world.
Courtois helped Atleti win their first La Liga title in 18 years last season and excelled in the Champions League as Diego Simeone's side were beaten by cross-town rivals Real in the final.
Cech has held the No 1 shirt at Chelsea for 10 years and holds the club record for clean sheets, keeping more than 200 since he arrived from Rennes in 2004, while Courtois has never played a game for the Blues.
But despite interest in a return to Atletico, Mourinho now appears keen to bring Courtois back to his parent club to challenge the 32-year-old Cech for a place in the Chelsea goal.
"When the World Cup in Brazil is over, Courtois will be coming straight back to Stamford Bridge – end of story," Mourinho told Spanish newspaper Marca.
Courtois, 22, is currently in Brazil with the Belgian squad who open their World Cup campaign against Algeria on Tuesday.
When asked about a return to Chelsea earlier this week, the 6ft 6in Courtois said he would not be content to being a back up for Cech.
"Do I want to be No1 wherever I play next season? Yes, I think with my age and the performances I had I want to play," he said.
"To be on the bench is not the nicest thing."
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