Chelsea and Real Madrid agree fee for transfer of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois
Thibaut Courtois is linked to Real Madrid, but Shaka Hislop thinks Los Blancos' current keeper Keylor Navas isn't getting the respect he deserves.
Thibaut Courtois is set for a move from Chelsea to Real Madrid pending a medical after the clubs announced they had agreed to a deal on Wednesday.
According to sources, Real Madrid will pay Chelsea £35 million pounds for the Belgium international. The deal will also see midfielder Mateo Kovacic join the Blues on a season-long loan.
The deal brings an end to a protracted saga which culminated in Courtois declining to report for Chelsea training on Monday in an attempt to force the club to sell him, having informed Maurizio Sarri last week that he wanted to leave.
???? Bienvenido al @RealMadrid, @thibautcourtois!#WelcomeCourtois| #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/hHqzcomSQi
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) August 8, 2018
Courtois has signed a six-year contract at Santiago Bernabeu, where he will face competition from incumbent Keylor Navas for the No. 1 spot.
Chelsea have already moved to replace Courtois, activating the €80 million (£71.5m) buyout clause in the contract of Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to make him the world's most expensive goalkeeper.
Courtois signed for Chelsea from Genk in the summer of 2011 and immediately went on loan to Atletico Madrid, where he won a La Liga title, the Europa League and the Copa del Rey as well as reaching a Champions League final in three seasons working under Diego Simeone.
In 2014 he returned to Stamford Bridge to end Petr Cech's 11-year reign as No. 1 goalkeeper and won two Premier League titles in four years with Chelsea, as well as the League Cup in 2015 and FA Cup in 2018.
But three years spent in the Spanish capital forged lasting connections for Courtois, and returning to Madrid will enable him to spend more time with his two children, who live there with his former partner.
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Source: espn.co.uk