"?Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been linked with a Stamford Bridge exit in recent months, with Real Madrid said to be interested, and the Belgian stopped short of his previous flat denials that he would leave the club when speaking this week.
Having previously said that he would stay at the club '100%', Courtois told Spanish radio this week that he would stay at the club 'if nothing strange happens' - a relatively weak denial after reports this week of a massive potential bid from Spain.
Thibaut Courtois: I'll be at Chelsea next year unless "?something strange' happens https://t.co/BfaeL35pJV pic.twitter.com/UAMgyREb3h
Whether Courtois meant 'strange' as in 'Chelsea accept a bid', or 'strange' as in 'I grow a third arm and it messes with my balance a bit' is unclear - but the ambiguity of the statement may keep his suitors interested. He said: "I have three more years on my contract with Chelsea. If nothing strange happens, I will still be at Chelsea next year."
Courtois missed a whopping 15 Premier League games this past season thanks to a mixture of injury and suspension, with backup Asmir Begovic proving himself a more than reliable deputy - although incoming boss Antonio Conte is thought to favour a move for Inter's Samir Handanovic if the Belgian does leave.
It's not the first time this summer that Courtois has been linked with a move to the Spanish giants, having put his Chelsea future in doubt with some comments earlier in the season in which he hinted that he was considering a summer move.
A look back on a memorable contribution from @thibautcourtois during last year's #CFCTour... https://t.co/aVbOIxqnvahttps://t.co/r8rgrNyEVU
He later slammed that door though, saying: "I have a contract for three years, so I will say 100%. Rumours affect any club where things are going badly. People think the top players want to leave because they are not in the Champions League. Everyone knows it is our fault we will not play in that competition next year."
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