Transfer news: On-loan Thibaut Courtois set for talks with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho

Chelsea's young goalkeeper is keen to hold talks with his manager over his future in London

Samuel Stevens
Friday 10 January 2014 13:05 GMT
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Thibaut Courtois
Thibaut Courtois (GETTY IMAGES)

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Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois plans to discuss his long-term future with manager Jose Mourinho after three seasons on loan at joint La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid.

The Belgian international has impressed the Spanish media with a string of fine displays for Atletico over the past few years and believes the time has come for him to replace Petr Cech as Chelsea's number one.

With a number of Europe's elite looking into making a move for the 21-year-old, Mourinho may be forced into making a decision sooner than he will have liked.

According to Belgian journalist Kristof Terreur, well connected within the country's sporting spheres, Courtois is set to hold talks with the Chelsea boss over the next few weeks.

"My agent is talking with Chelsea. One of the coming weeks I’ll have a chat with Jose Mourinho," the 21-year-old is reported to have said.

"I think there will be a decision about my future at the end of March, or in the first weeks of April."

Mourinho was asked in November about the young goalkeeper's future at Stamford Bridge and replied bullishly about the options at his disposal.

"In this moment we are in a good situation," he said. "I repeat that because we have the best goalkeeper in the world at a stable age.

"[Edwin] Van der Sar went from Fulham to [Manchester] United older than Petr and stayed there for a long time, so he is in the best age of his career.

"And Courtois is undoubtedly the best young goalkeeper in the world with two more years of contract. We are in control of the situation."

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