Thibaut Courtois

[The only place to be 11,313]

Hmm, I'm not sure. Cech was the indisputable best goalkeeper in the world between 2004-2006. Courtois right now has competition from Cech himself, Neuer, Weidenfeller, Lloris, etc. In terms of their abilities at the corresponding age, they are probably very similar, like you say. But that debate is irrelevant to my point - people are overestimating Courtois at the same time as not realising how good Cech still is. It amazes me how some supporters can underrate a player who has 450 appearances for the club! Is Cech as "bad" as some people make him out to be? Absolutely not. Similarly is Courtois as good as a lot of people make him out to be? Again, from my point of view, not quite, not yet anyway.

So you think we should sell Courtois to Barcelona?

Because that's the choice we have to actually make. Courtois, by all accounts, won't come and sit on the bench and he's quite right not to so we either play him or sell him.

It's all very well amassing these young players but at some point you've actually got to take a chance on them, rather than clinging to them forever.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

So you think we should sell Courtois to Barcelona?

Because that's the choice we have to actually make. Courtois, by all accounts, won't come and sit on the bench and he's quite right not to so we either play him or sell him.

It's all very well amassing these young players but at some point you've actually got to take a chance on them, rather than clinging to them forever.

I actually do think we could, and perhaps even should sell him. Finding quality goalkeepers is relatively easy. Obviously it will be extraordinarily difficult to find one with the same ceiling as Courtois, but goalkeepers are most definitely replaceable.

Goalkeepers aren't worth £25-30m, even in their prime - there are only a very few number of examples. It is simply too competitive a position, there will always be others coming through the academies.

For me, if you're going to get offered that amount of money for a goalkeeper, you should definitely consider cashing in. But that is only one option. Whilst I don't want it to be the case, I think Cech will leave in the summer and Courtois will come in as the number 1.

I fully agree you can't loan players out forever - so we either have to sell, or have him come into the side. But if he comes into the team and sits on the bench because of merit, and Cech is playing better than him, what will he do then? Moan, because he isn't playing as he isn't as good as the man he thought he'd replace? For me, it would be easier to sell him and bring in another goalkeeper in 2-3 years' time. But, as I said, what I think is irrelevant. I think he'll come in this summer and force Cech not; not necessarily through his ability, but through his obviously-huge ego. His attitude worries me. He doesn't want to spend a season on the bench - understandable. But it's as if he's scared of the competition from Cech.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I actually do think we could, and perhaps even should sell him. Finding quality goalkeepers is relatively easy. Obviously it will be extraordinarily difficult to find one with the same ceiling as Courtois, but goalkeepers are most definitely replaceable.

Goalkeepers aren't worth £25-30m, even in their prime - there are only a very few number of examples. It is simply too competitive a position, there will always be others coming through the academies.

For me, if you're going to get offered that amount of money for a goalkeeper, you should definitely consider cashing in. But that is only one option. Whilst I don't want it to be the case, I think Cech will leave in the summer and Courtois will come in as the number 1.

I fully agree you can't loan players out forever - so we either have to sell, or have him come into the side. But if he comes into the team and sits on the bench because of merit, and Cech is playing better than him, what will he do then? Moan, because he isn't playing as he isn't as good as the man he thought he'd replace? For me, it would be easier to sell him and bring in another goalkeeper in 2-3 years' time. But, as I said, what I think is irrelevant. I think he'll come in this summer and force Cech not; not necessarily through his ability, but through his obviously-huge ego. His attitude worries me. He doesn't want to spend a season on the bench - understandable. But it's as if he's scared of the competition from Cech.

First you say it's easy to replace keepers, then say it's difficult to find one with his ceiling. United took five years to replace Schmiechel and Arsenal still haven't replaced Seaman so when you have the chance to move from one worldie to another (possible) one I think you have to take it.

Then you say keepers aren't worth £25 million....but then say there are only a few examples. . I've heard of lots of keepers who have looked good coming up through academies (from Richard Wright and Steve Simonsen forwards) but very few actually make it to the level Courtois has in the short time that he has.

Put it like this....say he's worth £30 million. That's £3 million per year for a decade of service. I'd have paid that happily every season for Cech and Courtois looks like he could be every bit as good. To me, keepers are an area you can save money but end up regretting it later.

The last bit about his attitude is simply unfair. I have no problem with arrogance in keepers (look at Schmeichel) but this guy knows his own worth. He's the premier young keeper in the world right now, wanted by one of the best teams in the world and we actually own him. Competing for a spot in goal isn't simple either. It weakens the team in my opinion by eschewing stability in favour of a flawed competition and I think it could actually set back his development.

No-one who has followed this club for any length of time could possibly ignore Cech's contribution to our success, but that should surely remind them just how important a truly world-class goalkeeper is and how much of an opportunity this is. There's already a fair case to be made that Courtois is better than Cech on current form.

[bushman 2,043]

To say Cech still has 5 years in him is just wishful thinking. Currently, everything indicates he might have, but anything can happen.

I am just curious how Chelsea works this dilemma out.

[Tomo 21,685]

I actually do think we could, and perhaps even should sell him. Finding quality goalkeepers is relatively easy. Obviously it will be extraordinarily difficult to find one with the same ceiling as Courtois, but goalkeepers are most definitely replaceable.

Goalkeepers aren't worth £25-30m, even in their prime - there are only a very few number of examples. It is simply too competitive a position, there will always be others coming through the academies.

For me, if you're going to get offered that amount of money for a goalkeeper, you should definitely consider cashing in. But that is only one option. Whilst I don't want it to be the case, I think Cech will leave in the summer and Courtois will come in as the number 1.

I fully agree you can't loan players out forever - so we either have to sell, or have him come into the side. But if he comes into the team and sits on the bench because of merit, and Cech is playing better than him, what will he do then? Moan, because he isn't playing as he isn't as good as the man he thought he'd replace? For me, it would be easier to sell him and bring in another goalkeeper in 2-3 years' time. But, as I said, what I think is irrelevant. I think he'll come in this summer and force Cech not; not necessarily through his ability, but through his obviously-huge ego. His attitude worries me. He doesn't want to spend a season on the bench - understandable. But it's as if he's scared of the competition from Cech.

Competition with goalkeepers is different to the competition with the outfield players, we can't make a tactical sub in goal at the second half. We got lucky with the Cudicini situation due to his patience or lack of ambition whichever way you want to spin it but we can't get away with having 2 world class keeper's, it just ain't practical.

Yes have a decent one to keep Cech/Courtois on his toe's (like Schwarzer, Pantilimon, Lindegaard) that can come and fill in if they have a wobble, but the harsh reality is we can never have both at the club at the same time.

Ofcourse Courtois won't come and sit on our bench, Barcelona want him, it's not like he is raw 19 year old who still needs fine tuning, he is one of the best around.

[Tomo 21,685]

Also i would like to add that maybe Leti's defense are so good partly because of him also.

Having a top class keeper behind instinctively makes the defense more confident, lets say for argument sake Turnbull signed for Leti, when he played that defense won't be looking like the best in Europe, because they will instantly be more cautious and nervous knowing their's a silly error in the keeper.

[Jase 43,479]

Courtois has been crowned as the best goalkeeper in Spain for 2012/13 season.

Him and the award..

[Abakan 14]

If anyone has proof of the matches were Atheltico have been dominated and Courtois single handedly rescued points for them, I will like to see it. even the Madrid derby, i could only think of 1 magnificent save he had to make all game. such is the difficulty in breaching their defence. problem is, we are not as solid a defensive unit as the Spanish outfit and I'm not sure he would be as good and reliable as cech at saving our asses.

This season, end of match in Real Sociedad. He literally saved 2 points for Atlético. That's how you recognize great goalkeepers : not much to do, but when there's a save to make, they do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6YGBtLjZT0

Of course, you can't forget the Copa Del Rey final :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ5OiP-BDMs

In January this year, 3 saves in a few seconds against Betis :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qydmdCdmB6Y

He was also one of the best Belgian player during the WC campaign. Without him, Belgium wouldn't have won 8 times. Belgium was submerged in the first 30 min in Serbia and he had one save to make, but very important, on a free-kick against Scotland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATjaW5tu0HI

He was also very regular in Genk and clearly helped them earning the title. And on the most decisive match, the last one they couldn't lose against Standard, he was just outstanding. Just look at this video, starting from 1:45 the save of the season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsvov6XUB1g

And finally, a compilation of last season :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOvMJ2MkPnk

[SykikJV 146]

Interesting interviews in Belgian press today.

Audio interview with Thibaut himself. He says they will talk to Chelsea in the coming months to decide about his future. He stated very clearly that he wants his future to be decided prior to the World Cup in June. He doesn't want to be playing for a transfer during the World Cup.

Another interview with Guy Martens, thé reference in Belgian Goalkeeper-coaches and Thibauts coach for quite a few years. He states that Thibaut his strengths are his very good reflexes for a keeper of his height, very good 1 vs 1, but above all his mental abilities. No matter what happens, he will always immediately focus on the task ahead or his next save to make. When he was 14, he was behind Koen Casteels (Hoffenheim) in the pecking order, but while Casteels kept evolving at a normal pace, Thibaut's evolution was more like a revolution when he became 16. He became very good very quickly. He also said that Thibaut became a better goalkeeper in Spain because of the higher level of competition. The last question he answered was how good Courtois really is at the moment? He answered this in a very serious way, stating that he thinks Courtois is, without a doubt, the best goalkeeper in Europe at the moment. Of course you can debate about such statements, but it means something when a professional coach, who knows Courtois like anybody else, is that positive about him. You can rest assure that he's playing a big part in Atletico's defensive stability.

[dukeman 9]

As I read it, Cech or Courtois. And we all know who will be picked.

Can't see him go on a fourth loan move and sign another contract waiting another 3 years for a chance. He deserves better.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

As I read it, Cech or Courtois. And we all know who will be picked.

Can't see him go on a fourth loan move and sign another contract waiting another 3 years for a chance. He deserves better.

He deserves better? He's the starting goalie with a top team who he's been with for 3 years. It's a big decision to make for us, but it's not as if we're jerking him around or he's suffering in any way.

@Alex-I agree. Keepers are not expensive for a reason. There are just more top keepers than there are top clubs. I'd hate to lose Courtois but if Barcelona or anyone offered 25-30M, I'd take it because it's just such a massive fee for a keeper. Lloris was a top keeper and fairly young and cost 10M Euros. If he were a striker of similar quality, he would have cost about 5X that amount. We bought Cech for, I think 7M pounds. However, Courtois is a very good young goalie, so I don't see the point of taking anything under a massive transfer fee to get him.

[Strike 6,989]

Sell him with a cheap buy-back clause (like Arsenal with Vela). Cech is 31 so there's still a few good years left in him. Atletico or any club should accept a buyback clause because they'll be getting a quality keeper in Courtois

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Sell him with a cheap buy-back clause (like Arsenal with Vela). Cech is 31 so there's still a few good years left in him. Atletico or any club should accept a buyback clause because they'll be getting a quality keeper in Courtois

Buyback clauses are almost unheard of with proven players because the player and the team buying doesn't want them. The purpose of the buyback clause is just in case a player develops, you can get him back. For Courtois, this would drop his sale value to almost nothing because it would simply become a loan because it would be a matter of time before Chelsea would want him back. If you want to include that clause, his sale price would go from something like 25-30M to about 5M and the effect would be the same. (Courtois still waiting to come back to Chelsea).

[Strike 6,989]

Buyback clauses are almost unheard of with proven players because the player and the team buying doesn't want them. The purpose of the buyback clause is just in case a player develops, you can get him back. For Courtois, this would drop his sale value to almost nothing because it would simply become a loan because it would be a matter of time before Chelsea would want him back. If you want to include that clause, his sale price would go from something like 25-30M to about 5M and the effect would be the same. (Courtois still waiting to come back to Chelsea).

I know it will drop but I doubt it will be something like 5mil. Arsenal managed to include a buy-back clause in the deal that took Fabregas to Barcelona so you can't definitively say that a buy-back clause will bring down a player's price so drastically

anyway, these are finer points of a negotiation. i won't claim that it will work out that way but i feel clubs would look into the possibility of getting Courtois even with a buy-back clause

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Sell him with a cheap buy-back clause (like Arsenal with Vela). Cech is 31 so there's still a few good years left in him. Atletico or any club should accept a buyback clause because they'll be getting a quality keeper in Courtois

Haha, sure! They won't know what hit'em!

[BlueLion. 21,491]

After the debacle with Barcelona inserting a right-of-purchase clause into Romeu's contract, they're the last club we should be dealing with.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

I know it will drop but I doubt it will be something like 5mil. Arsenal managed to include a buy-back clause in the deal that took Fabregas to Barcelona so you can't definitively say that a buy-back clause will bring down a player's price so drastically

anyway, these are finer points of a negotiation. i won't claim that it will work out that way but i feel clubs would look into the possibility of getting Courtois even with a buy-back clause

Fabergas doesn't have a buy-back clause, he has a first-refusal clause and only happens when Barcelona accept an offer from another club and anyway Barcelona is Fabergas' home and a top, top team so if they want to keep him, they can. It's a very different thing. Nobody would pay a lot for a player who the club can then just get back whenever they want. (Unless the buyback clause is massive). This doesn't ever happen and it doesn't happen for a reason. It makes no sense for one club or the other or both. There are only three options for Courtois. 1) We bring him back as a starter (or at least to compete to be the starter) 2) We sell him. 3) We loan him out again and risk losing him. That's it. There's no magical option that let's us sell him and still have him.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

The last question he answered was how good Courtois really is at the moment? He answered this in a very serious way, stating that he thinks Courtois is, without a doubt, the best goalkeeper in Europe at the moment. Of course you can debate about such statements, but it means something when a professional coach, who knows Courtois like anybody else, is that positive about him. You can rest assure that he's playing a big part in Atletico's defensive stability.

Well my mom says I'm the best cook in the world, so it must be true!