🇧🇪 Thibaut Courtois

[bushman 2,043]

Did some of you fellas miss the annoucement the staff made a few days ago?

YOU'LL GET AN INSTA BAN IF YOU KEEP INSULTING EACHOTHER

I believe, we kept it civilized here. Different strokers for different folks is the game here.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Can we have a little less insults and wanker emoticons and a bit more respect in this discussion, please?

Yes, I'm looking at you bushman and The only place to be.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Can we have a little less insults and wanker emoticons and a bit more respect in this discussion, please?

Yes, I'm looking at you bushman and The only place to be.

That guy's been on the wind-up since he joined. If you can read his posts and think he's being sincere, then I'll apologise.

[GermanBlue 82]

Win-Win situation for us. I'm sure we won't sell him for 10m, that's a joke.

Actually, how about a loan to Barcelona? I know there are downsides like Thibaut starting to have them in their heart instead of Chelsea, because he never really played here, but if Courtois is cool with it, why not? He'd learn to play in a team which doesn't let too many shots on the goal and Barca could wait like 2 more years until keepers like ter Stegen are older and developed enough for playing there. Not sure if Barca would like this solution though.

Selling Cech is a no-go IMO. He can easily play 2 more years on top of his game while Thibaut can develop at loans if he's ok with it. Everything depends on the kid.

[bushman 2,043]

That guy's been on the wind-up since he joined. If you can read his posts and think he's being sincere, then I'll apologise.

Here you go again. I do not share your opinions, get it ? I have my own.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Then why are Man United struggling to replace Van Der Sar? Why did they struggle after Schmeichel? I think you're completely understating the job of finding a top-class keeper, which is why we did so well not just to get Courtois but also secure a great loan for him.

Neuer cost €22 million because he only had one year left on his contract from what I recall.

I hate the idea of changing keepers between games. It messes with the rhythm and it's unfair to drop someone after a good game.

I think the idea of benching either one, or ever paying both of them is the wrong route to take.

I wouldn't say United are struggling to find a replacement for Van Der Sar. De Gea is a good goalie. He has some problems with crosses and balls in the air but, he is one of the best shot-stoppers in the Premier League. (best save percentage Premier League last year). He's only 21, so I expect him to be at United for a long time. They did suffer to replace Schmeichel but even that was exaggerated. They had one year where a few keepers struggled (Taibi especially) but they still won the league so it was hardly a disaster. I think this also one area of the game where SAF makes a mistake. He rotates too much with keepers and when they make a mistake, he takes them out. All keepers let in bad goals and you have to keep their confidence high. I think Cech is a top-class keeper, but there are a lot of keepers around that I think Chelsea can win with. I also think you can win without a top keeper. I've never thought Valdes was much of a keeper, but Barcelona has won everything with him. As I pointed out earlier, ManU has won the league with mediocre keepers. I think the difference between top keepers is very slim. I agree with you that I don't like rotating keepers.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

That guy's been on the wind-up since he joined. If you can read his posts and think he's being sincere, then I'll apologise.

Still he, as a member, is entitled to his opinion which you , as a member, are obliged to respect.

[Joker10 946]

10 million is a joke, considering he is now hands down the best U21 goalkeeper in the world and he was only an unproven 19-year-old when we bought him for 6mil a couple of years ago.

On the last page I was joking about Barca giving Messi in exchange for this guy, but seriously speaking though, we are in a very good position for the negotiations if they indeed do want him.They have some of the best players in the world already and we would be stupid if we just gave them one of our most promising young players who they desperately need for peanuts. Courtois is under contract till 2016 so it will definitely take either an offer out of this world or them giving us one of their hottest prospects in part exchange, Thiago for example.

I would very much like to keep him if only the player himself wants to stay and is okay with the plan we have for him. No reasonable amount of money can get us a goalkeeper as good as Courtois when we need to replace Cech in a few years.

Have you ever heard of Ter Stegen? i am sure they are many who could make the case he is the best U21 GK.

[Stingray 9,441]

Have you ever heard of Ter Stegen? i am sure they are many who could make the case he is the best U21 GK.

I truly think Courtois is further in his development at this time (experience : winning titles, european football, national team, ... )

Talentwise .... Nobody knows. It is mere speculation.

[GermanBlue 82]

Have you ever heard of Ter Stegen? i am sure they are many who could make the case he is the best U21 GK.

Ter Stegen's form has dropped a little, he isn't that outstanding like he was last season. Courtois is at least on one level with him IMO.

[Sovieticus 743]

I wouldn't say United are struggling to find a replacement for Van Der Sar. De Gea is a good goalie. He has some problems with crosses and balls in the air but, he is one of the best shot-stoppers in the Premier League. (best save percentage Premier League last year). He's only 21, so I expect him to be at United for a long time. They did suffer to replace Schmeichel but even that was exaggerated. They had one year where a few keepers struggled (Taibi especially) but they still won the league so it was hardly a disaster. I think this also one area of the game where SAF makes a mistake. He rotates too much with keepers and when they make a mistake, he takes them out. All keepers let in bad goals and you have to keep their confidence high. I think Cech is a top-class keeper, but there are a lot of keepers around that I think Chelsea can win with. I also think you can win without a top keeper. I've never thought Valdes was much of a keeper, but Barcelona has won everything with him. As I pointed out earlier, ManU has won the league with mediocre keepers. I think the difference between top keepers is very slim. I agree with you that I don't like rotating keepers.

De Gea is 22.

[Stingray 9,441]

To be fair:

Thibault Courtois was a regular in the first team since he was 18, while making his debut in april 2009. He was 16 at the time. He made his international debut in november 2011.

Meanwhile he won 1 title, 1 cup, 1 europa league, 1 eufa super cup and won belgian goalie of the year in 2011. All in all +90 first league matches under his belt and 18 european games.

So - without being belgian n biased - I do rate him a level higher than Marc-André ter Stegen - at leat development wise.

This kid is ready for us and I really think we will keep him, considering Cech' injury proneness + isn't he due or surgery in the summer?

We would be tremendously foolish to sell him imo.

[Sovieticus 743]

Another year of loan and he is ready for us.

[Leif 6,006]

When was he converted to a goalkeeper? Didn't he start out as an outfield player? Whoever coached him did a tremendous job in the transition.

[Rmpr 8,977]

When was he converted to a goalkeeper? Didn't he start out as an outfield player? Whoever coached him did a tremendous job in the transition.

We have a saying in Brazil: Everybody starts as a striker, then they move down until they become GKs!

[Stingray 9,441]

When was he converted to a goalkeeper? Didn't he start out as an outfield player? Whoever coached him did a tremendous job in the transition.

He started out as a defender in Bilzerse VV. A year later he played in Genk (1998) where they made a goalie out of him :-) Genk has a superb youth academy ...

[Stingray 9,441]

We have a saying in Brazil: Everybody starts as a striker, then they move down until they become GKs!

Lol, in belgium we all start as defenders. That is a remeniscent of the 80's I am afraid :-)

[Hamilton 2,120]

When was he converted to a goalkeeper? Didn't he start out as an outfield player? Whoever coached him did a tremendous job in the transition.

At age 6 the Genk coaches converted him from lb..

Stingray beat me to it.. No i even doubt if he was 6 or 8..

[Spike 12,049]

We have a saying in Brazil: Everybody starts as a striker, then they move down until they become GKs!

That is a brilliant saying. I remember when I was really young (6/7) when we played football (soccer...) everyone played as a striker; there were even no goalkeepers (or 'goldies'). They'd be about 20 kids playing and only two or three of them had actually watched a game!

I had terrible reaction time and hand eye coordination till I was about 15! So I never played sports much.

[Jype 6,398]

Have you ever heard of Ter Stegen? i am sure they are many who could make the case he is the best U21 GK.

Of course I have, I've watched Gladbach a little and he's always impressed me. Also, in Football Manager he is a beast of a goalkeeper and I always buy him:

Still, I don't think he's quite at the same level as Courtois, who has already won a couple of titles in his career and is the more experienced of the two.