Thibaut Courtois

[capriccioso 2,545]

1. not sure where you got we are the second richest club in the world,(Deloitte placed us 6th)

2 He could run down his contract

3 He could be enjoying life in Spain ,

4 In 2 years at most Real and Barca will be sniffing around .

those are things worrying me.

2nd richest as in we can outspend anyone and money is no object to us. He could run it down, yes, but how many years has he got left? Yes he may like it in Spain but he's never tried life in England so we can't be sure if he doesn't like it. We can resist those two clubs' advances, and besides, he's not Latin, he's not going to have a 'dream' to play for them like Ronaldo did, or want to 'go home' like Pique and Fabregas.

Of course there is one easy solution to all of this, give him perhaps 15 games a season. Rotate the GK position a bit, he won't be happy with just keeping when Cech can't play and in the Carling Cup/FA Cup fixtures. Cech needs to be put on notice that one mistake will mean he'll lose his spot and have to earn it back in training. Thibaut needs to be told that the GK spot is up for grabs even if it might not be. Or we can give him a very rewarding contract.

[zolayes 14,489]

we have played 60 games this season , If you look back I suggested early in this thread that he could be given 20 -25 games with Cech getting 35 -40

the big advantages would be

1 keeping him away from the Spanish vultures

2 getting him used to playing in the PL

3 getting him used to playing with OUR defenders.

[capriccioso 2,545]

Hmm. 38 in the Premiership, 13 in the CL, 5 in the Carling Cup and 6 in the FA Cup assuming we make the final of each competition. I guess we could divide that up like so:

10 Premier League matches, 3 CL matches, 5 each in the two cups for Thibaut- 23 starts.

28 Premier League matches and 10 CL matches, the FA Cup semi final and Final for Petr- 40 starts.

As a goalkeeper though the only thing that will matter to him is game time. Man City or the two Spanish clubs could offer him that but we can't until Petr hangs up his gloves, which is still probably 8 seasons away. I think Cech can still be amongst the best in the world until 2018, it would be foolish to let him go before that unless we are 100% certain Courtois is better than him.

[Jase 43,479]

Craig Gordon has just been released by Sunderland. Maybe we should go get him as backup and sell Turnbull off!

[capriccioso 2,545]

Another thing, we've got quite a few Belgians here. de Bruyne, Lukaku, maybe Thibaut will feel more at home with his countrymen

[English Freak 456]

Another thing, we've got quite a few Belgians here. de Bruyne, Lukaku, maybe Thibaut will feel more at home with his countrymen

Well unless we actually play his fellow Belgians, how on earth will he feel at home?

I bet if we actually gave Lukaku some game-time against the lesser teams of the EPL (instead of persisting with the flop Torres)...he might of been able to convince Hazard to join Chelsea...rather than go to Manchester.

[Spike 12,049]

Well unless we actually play his fellow Belgians, how on earth will he feel at home?

I bet if we actually gave Lukaku some game-time against the lesser teams of the EPL (instead of persisting with the flop Torres)...he might of been able to convince Hazard to join Chelsea...rather than go to Manchester.

Because there is more to a week than 90 minutes of football? This whole thing about Lukaku not being able to joinHazard to join is just a way to justify the fact that Hazard doesn't want to join Chelsea. I'm sick of it really.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Craig Gordon has just been released by Sunderland. Maybe we should go get him as backup and sell Turnbull off!

Or we could make Jamal our 3rd choice keeper.

[Jase 43,479]

Or we could make Jamal our 3rd choice keeper.

Or maybe, get Craig Gordon to be our No.2, Blackman as 3rd choice and put Hilario & Turnbull in the reserves!

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Or maybe, get Craig Gordon to be our No.2, Blackman as 3rd choice and put Hilario & Turnbull in the reserves!

Haha I like that, but very unlikely since Hilario just signed a contract extension.

[chelsea blue 615]

Courtois is on loan from Chelsea currently, but is keen to extend his time at the Vicente Calderon for another campaign.

"I want to play another year here, and then we'll see. I really want to stay here and it will be good for Chelsea for me to play another season at Atletico.

Before he won the cup he said he wanted to come to England to play on loan in the Prem or Championship i feel the longer he stays the more he will like it at Atletico.and might not come back

[Hamilton 2,120]

Courtois will not play in our friendly against England. Thibaut will defend our country this friday against Montenegro.

Probably a normal decision, Mignolet is the one with the premier league experience..

[Shane 2,275]

Let him stay, as long as he doesn't play in the Super Cup!

[Leif 6,006]

Thought - As West Ham United have released Rob Green and don't have a huge transfer budget, perhaps this could be the perfect loan move for Thibaut.

West Ham will enter at the bottom of the table, clawing as hard as they can to stay in the Premier League. That's a similar pressure on the players as the guys at the top end of the table trying to win the thing!

I think he needs to experience true gritty football soon. Atletico Madrid have done him good, but if he goes back again, I doubt he'll learn anything further.

[5354 204]

I think he can remain at Madrid for 1 more season.

Unless we send in a couple of our defenders there to protect him or his confidence will come crushing down/