Atletico Madrid have not given up hope of keeping Thibaut Courtois for another year but the goalkeeper’s future remains unclear.
AS reports that if Courtois is to re-join Los Colchoneros for next season – again on loan from Chelsea – then he has to extend his contract at Stamford Bridge before his parent club will allow the move.
Courtois has said he only wants to return to Chelsea if he is to be first choice but the continued presence of Petr Cech makes that unlikely.
That would in theory cause Courtois to push for a move away from London but Chelsea do not want to sell and without signing a longer deal, they will not sanction a return to Atletico.
Courtois is said to be eager to stay at Vicente Calderon, having had three loan spells with Atletico already, while AS speculates Cech won’t be first choice at Chelsea much longer and Courtois will eventually get to be No.1 for the Blues.
But AS claims Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will insist Courtois spends the final two years of his contract on the sidelines if he doesn’t renew his deal.
Chelsea had been willing to wait until the end of the season to determine Courtois’ future but AS suggests that is no longer the case and Abramovich wants to know what will happen.
