Chelsea are reportedly set to offer Thibaut Courtois a bumper new contract in order to ward off Real Madrid’s interest in him.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, Chelsea are ready to hand Thibaut Courtois a bumper new deal to thwart Real Madrid – who are keen to land a goalkeeper in the summer – in their pursuit of the Belgian goalkeeper.
Courtois has rediscovered his best form this season after enduring an underwhelming campaign in 2015/16 as Chelsea relinquished their Premier League title in disastrous fashion. As a result, the Blues are back atop the Premier League as well, with Courtois’ performances often playing a key role.
Numbers prove that as well, as he has conceded just 27 goals in 33 Premier League outings; only Hugo Lloris and David De Gea have let in fewer goals past them. Courtois is also in contention to win the Golden Glove this season, having kept 14 clean sheets – Lloris with 15 is just one ahead.
Suffice to say, Courtois is rightly being considered as one of the best goalkeepers in the world currently. One club, where the goalkeeping performances haven’t been nearly as convincing as they should be is Real Madrid.
Keylor Navas, the undisputed number one at the Santiago Bernabeu, has been a pale shadow of the player who was so instrumental in Real Madrid’s success last season. Not only has the Costa Rican blown hot and cold right through the campaign, he has also been prone to some uncharacteristic errors.
His deputy, Kiko Casilla has been also been inconsistent in the few opportunities that he has received this season – good on some occasions and poor on others. Navas and Casilla have conceded 67 goals in 54 appearances across all competitions, managing to keep just 11 clean sheets between them.
As a result, it comes as no surprise that Zinedine Zidane is keen to recruit a top quality goalkeeper who will be a significant upgrade on the incumbent duo. Real Madrid’s top priority remains David De Gea, but Courtois is their second choice.
With Chelsea desperate to keep hold of a player who is considered as a key player in Antonio Conte’s squad, they are ready to offer Courtois a new deal. The Belgian international earns £120,000-a-week in his current contract with the West London club.
That deal ends in 2019, but the new contract will not only extend the end date but also hand Courtois a significant upgrade on his wages. Chelsea believe that that will ward of Real Madrid’s interest in the shot stopper, and it remains to be seen if it forces them to focus their entire attention on De Gea.
