Goalkeeper still in the dark over club’s plans.
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Thibaut Courtois has insisted that his future is still in the hands of Chelsea by admitting that they are the only ones who can make a decision over where he will be next season, Sky Sports reports.
The 21-year-old is currently undergoing his third successive loan spell with Atletico Madrid and has been a key figure in their recent rise to prominence over the past two seasons.
In the past he has said that he would be keen to stay with the Stamford Bridge outfit but he would face an unspecified time on the bench behind current number one Petr Cech, and so far he has preferred to remain in the Spanish capital in order to play regular first team football.
Courtois spoke to the press several times over the summer claiming that he wants to know what the club have planned for him, and he has now admitted that Chelsea will be the only ones to make a decision over what happens to him.
“We must wait, time will tell,” Courtois told Sportium.
“This year I wanted to stay at Atletico because I wasn’t sure if I would play at Chelsea. Besides, I was excited to play in the Champions League with Atletico and wanted to be a starter with a view towards the World Cup.
“But now everything depends on Chelsea. I had a conversation with Mourinho and decided it was best to stay here.
“I belong to Chelsea, but Atletico are the most important club of my life. I’ve got titles and prestige in a short time.”
Courtois has been working hard this season on helping Diego Simeone’s side maintain the pace alongside Barcelona and Real Madrid at the top of the table, but he has insisted that there is still a long way to go in their quest to challenge for the main prize.
“We are working very hard for the team to maintain this level all season, but the road is very long. We want to get as far as possible and we are showing that we have the team for it.
“It has improved a lot since Simeone arrived. He is one of the best coaches in the world, he’s well motivated and gets the best out of everyone. He has instilled his winning mentality.”