Chelsea have moved to offer star goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois a new contract that would make him the highest-paid goalkeeper in world football, amidst growing concerns over the Belgian’s future at Stamford Bridge.
The sensational shot-stopper is already amongst the best-paid number ones in the Premier League, earning a reported £100,000 a week. However, with only 18 months remaining on his Blues’ contract, the club are growing increasingly concerned that the 25-year-old may be eyeing up a lucrative move elsewhere in Europe – Real Madrid have reportedly been interested in the player for a number of months.
According to tomorrow’s Telegraph, Chelsea’s hierarchy have offered Courtois a new deal worth a cool £200,000 a week including bonuses, which would position him above Manchester United’s David de Gea as the highest-paid goalkeeper in the world. The club certainly hope the offer will be too good to turn down, after the Belgian recently expressed his desire to return to Spain, where he has two young children.
Courtois joined Chelsea from Belgian side Genk €9 million in 2011 before spending three years on loan at Atletico Madrid, where he impressed critics on his way to picking up four major trophies with Los Rojiblancos. On his return to the Bridge in time for the start of the 2014/15 season, the 25-year-old has gone from strength to strength; establishing himself not only as Chelsea’s number one but his national side’s as well. With compatriot Eden Hazard’s future also called into doubt, tying up two of his Belgian superstars to new contracts must surely be near the top of Antonio Conte’s agenda.
Header image by Ben Sutherland [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
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