Petr Cech

[CHOULO19 24,332]

For god's sake, he's too good to play some FA and league cup matches. You're not talking about 'a promising youngster that might be make it in a couple of years' genre Lukaku. You're talking about a guy who right now is in the top ten/five goalkeepers worldwide. Of course it's not proof, but a good indicator none the less: in Fifa 14, he'll be the 4th best goalkeeper in the game. ;-)

He won't be given a starting spot without playing a single minute of football for Chelsea no matter what his rating on FIFA is. Like any other football player on earth he will have to fight for a place in the team. It's really not an alien concept.

[Tomo 21,733]

Liverpool would have to win the premiership for Mignolet to replace Courtos as Belgium's No.1 goalie.

And i don't see him staying at Chelsea nxt season. Cech will stay put and the Belgian will be loand out....hopefully to a PL side

Where can he go in the PL tho? he can't go to one of our rivals for obvious reason's and sending him to a midtable club now he is established as one of the top keepers around is illogical. Barca and Real Madrid have made it clear they will sign him with their eyes closed, so sending him somewhere like Southampton because he isn't "PL proven" just isn't going to cut it.

So was De Gea when United bought him and I bet they wish they had an experienced world-class keeper along with him these past two seasons. I'm not comparing the two keepers, just the uncertainty of the situation.

He was no where near the level Courtois is now, on a personal and playing level.

De Gea had a season and a half of gametime for his home town club, he was moving abroad for the first time in his life so obviously there was going to be the initial struggle.

Courtois already won the league title in Belgium (i know, weaker league, but it's still experience of being a winner) and if the title deciding match was anything to go by, he played a huge part in winning it for Genk. Then he left his home country and been playing in La Liga, he has helped them win the Europa League and was the main reason they won the Copa Del Rey, beating Madrid in their own back yard in the process. He will also probably have about 200 career games under his belt by the end of this season, that's a lot in comparison to De Gea's 84 when he joined United.

A keeper that will be able to walk into Barca's starting lineup next season is not going to accept a bit part role in the cups even for one campaign, when/if he does return it will be to replace Cech, not deputize for him. It's not a similar situation to Lukaku where he is still a bit raw and needs parts to his game finetuned, Thiabut is widely known around the planet and one of the best keepers in the world already.

Also the De Gea factor is blown way, way out of proportion, for one De Gea there's the likes of Reina and Cech, also Courtois will be closer to the age the latter two were when they came to the PL than the age De Gea was.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

He won't be given a starting spot without playing a single minute of football for Chelsea no matter what his rating on FIFA is. Like any other football player on earth he will have to fight for a place in the team. It's really not an alien concept.

Apparently Barcelona is willing to give him a starting spot next year. This goes for both Cech and Courtois. ;-)

[Weckerz 3,781]

I've probably missed less than a dozen Athletico games since he's joined them and no, I don't think he's as good as Cech who I think is currently the best in the world. Like I said, Thibaut will likely come here and challenge Petr for the spot, if he really is better then he should win it i no time. If he isn't then he just needs to keep improving till he is. The comparison with De Gea was just in the situation, not their skill as I clearly stated.

I didn't mean you personally Choulo, I'm sure you've watched him, but that kinda makes me more surprised. I understand your preference for Cech, but I feel Petr and Thibaut are much closer ability wise than you make it out to be.

Definately close enough for you to realise Thibaut can't come here to play FA/league cup games.

[bushman 2,043]

I didn't mean you personally Choulo, I'm sure you've watched him, but that kinda makes me more surprised. I understand your preference for Cech, but I feel Petr and Thibaut are much closer ability wise than you make it out to be.

Definately close enough for you to realise Thibaut can't come here to play FA/league cup games.

Well, that´s the bottom line. TC can not or will not come to Chelsea to play FA or ....games.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Lol, people dont see the reason for willian to add depth to our attack on the right flank but think that courtois can come and be on the bench here. The double standard these days are just

[Fastrobbie 26]

I can hardly believe there will be a day that both Cech and Courtois will be fighting for the n°1 spot at Chelsea. Both are world-class keepers, not discussion about it.

There are many top clubs willing to splash big money on keepers of this level and have a spot in the starting lineup for them. The other top clubs are just poking and waiting till the thing is going to explode. I can't believe either of them will settle with a place on the bench, that could damage their careers, while they could be in the start-up of any top club. Don't fool yourselves!

The good thing is, it's a luxury problem!

[robsblubot 3,527]

I can hardly believe there will be a day that both Cech and Courtois will be fighting for the n°1 spot at Chelsea. Both are world-class keepers, not discussion about it.

There are many top clubs willing to splash big money on keepers of this level and have a spot in the starting lineup for them. The other top clubs are just poking and waiting till the thing is going to explode. I can't believe either of them will settle with a place on the bench, that could damage their careers, while they could be in the start-up of any top club. Don't fool yourselves!

The good thing is, it's a luxury problem!

agree in principle, but not about the cash-even top ones.. GK aren't sold for a lot of cash, perhaps the position least valuable in football.

I think Petr is a top GK but I don't agree he is number one; I see many other GK just as good, especially these younger ones. Lloris is already fantastic! What he did against Arsenal, even though they lost that match, was incredible. Not that Arsenal played that much better, but they had a clear cup chances in counters which were stopped by LLoris. Liverpool's Mignolet is class too-a lot better than the overrated Reina.

I too think it would be a mistake to lose Courtois and if the right offer comes in, Petr should be sold. It'd be a good thing for him too because they do make money out of the transfer itself, bonuses etc. It could be a nice farewell gift/"last contract" for him.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

I read fees in the € 35 million area for Courtois when they talked about Barça...

[Tomo 21,733]

and with Courtois we're doing the same thing we did with Kakuta and McEachran in thinking he's the best thing since sliced bread.

Rather unfair comparison, Kakuta and McEachran were raw kids with next to no top flight experience, Courtois has already won the title in Belgium (and if the title decider was anything to go by, played a huge part in Genk winning), the Europa and the Copa Del Rey. By the end of this season he will have Champions League experience under his belt too, Not to mention weakly exposure in one of the strongest league's in the world for the pat three season's.

The Kakuta and McEachran comparison is well off, they were getting hyped up because of their potential, Courtois is getting hyped up because he is the real deal, obvious by the fact he could (if he wanted too) walk into Barcelona's team next year.

Its not just Chelsea fans who think so highly off him, near enough all of Spain do. I spoke to a Real Madrid fan when i went to Costa Rica and when i asked him about Courtois, he said (can't remember the exact convo but something along the lines off) "he is amazing, if you don't take him back soon us or the Barcelona will get him, you watch".

Whether he is on Cech's level yet is debatable, whether he is a world class goalkeeper tho, shouldn't be.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Rather unfair comparison, Kakuta and McEachran were raw kids with next to no top flight experience, Courtois has already won the title in Belgium (and if the title decider was anything to go by, played a huge part in Genk winning), the Europa and the Copa Del Rey. By the end of this season he will have Champions League experience under his belt too, Not to mention weakly exposure in one of the strongest league's in the world for the pat three season's.

The Kakuta and McEachran comparison is well off, they were getting hyped up because of their potential, Courtois is getting hyped up because he is the real deal, obvious by the fact he could (if he wanted too) walk into Barcelona's team next year.

Its not just Chelsea fans who think so highly off him, near enough all of Spain do. I spoke to a Real Madrid fan when i went to Costa Rica and when i asked him about Courtois, he said (can't remember the exact convo but something along the lines off) "he is amazing, if you don't take him back soon us or the Barcelona will get him, you watch".

Whether he is on Cech's level yet is debatable, whether he is a world class goalkeeper tho, shouldn't be.

You've taken a single sentence from an entire paragraph, and taken it completely out of context.

As my point went on to say: "The difference is that Thibaut will be an incredible player. You could argue he already is; however people need to step back and think a little more rationally."

[Mouri_Matic 560]

Here is what is going to happen:

1. We sell Cech for like £10-£15m, keep Courtois and hope he go on and become our legend

2. We sell Courtois for like £20-£30m to Barca/Madrid and keep Cech, Courtois might well stay over his new club for the next 10-20 years and become their legend

3. We keep both but rotate constantly, this is a bad idea because eventually one will be a winner and it doesn't work when your GK keep rotated

4. We keep both and player Courtois sparingly while Cech regularly, not going to happen

So there you go, choose. Me I would go with 1.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Here is what is going to happen:

1. We sell Cech for like £10-£15m, keep Courtois and hope he go on and become our legend

2. We sell Courtois for like £20-£30m to Barca/Madrid and keep Cech, Courtois might well stay over his new club for the next 10-20 years and become their legend

3. We keep both but rotate constantly, this is a bad idea because eventually one will be a winner and it doesn't work when your GK keep rotated

4. We keep both and player Courtois sparingly while Cech regularly, not going to happen

So there you go, choose. Me I would go with 1.

We won't sell Cech for much more than £8-10 million. He's 31, and a goalkeeper - Buffon and de Gea aside, they just don't fetch big price-tags, because they are frankly quite easily replaced.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Sell Cech? I highly doubt that. He's going to be here till his current contract expires at the very least.

[Barbara 15,149]

You know what I don't get? people saying Courtois is going to be a legend for us for 10 years or more when they're willing to sell the current legend at age 31. If Thibaut stays 10 years starting next year he'll be 32 at the end of it...

It's bad timing. we tried to assure a goalkeeper to replace Petr, but the kid matured way too fast and he's ready now to be a keeper at any club in Europe when maybe people expected him to need to take another couple of years, like de Gea, who will be 23 in a couple of months. at age 20 Thibaut was already the same level as de Gea. I think he's better now than David.

I'm positive we'll keep him next season as well as Cech. I don't see us selling Cech right away. as I said before, they'll fight for the starting position, when Mourinho see Courtois better than Cech, he'll start... all three of them know it because of how Mourinho did it with Cech and Cudicini and recently Lopéz and Casillas.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

You guys seriously underestimate the eagerness of both men to play and win prizes, and the value they already (or still, in Cech's case) have to other major clubs.

Both at Chelsea will most likely not happen. Not next year, not the year after that.

[francozola 2,040]

You know what I don't get? people saying Courtois is going to be a legend for us for 10 years or more when they're willing to sell the current legend at age 31. If Thibaut stays 10 years starting next year he'll be 32 at the end of it...

But it's not just about Petr's age.. His injuries mean that most probably his goalkeeping career will be shorter than usual.

[TrippingStep 336]

I think Cech is already declining with his legs that are not in great condition.

I think a good goalkeeper could leave less work on our central defender if he could come and catch some crosses.