Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is reportedly considering running down his contract in order to push through a move to Real Madrid.
The Belgian shot-stopper has 18 months remaining on his current contract, and Chelsea are keen for him to sign a two-year renewal but on the same wages as he earns currently.
According to The Sun, that has forced Courtois to hint that he will consider his future at the end of next season at which time Real will have seen their transfer embargo lifted.
With the threat of losing him for nothing, it would force Chelsea into potentially looking at selling Courtois as he would be able to begin discussions with the La Liga giants in January 2018 over a pre-contract to join them later that summer.
The report also serves as a reminder over the fact that Real sent Courtois a ‘get well soon’ message after he suffered a knee injury last season, while he has hinted at a return to the Spanish capital after enjoying a three-year spell with Atletico Madrid under Diego Simeone.
With Chelsea flying high at the top of the Premier League table after a seven-game winning streak, there doesn’t appear to be much of a reason for the Belgian star to be considering an exit from Stamford Bridge.
The mood at the club is certainly much better now compared to last season and with Antonio Conte pushing them in the right direction for silverware and a top-four finish to get back into the Champions League, questions will rightly be asked as to why Courtois would want to leave.
Nevertheless, the report doesn’t agree as the appeal of Spain is still seemingly strong for him. The longer the contract talks stall, the more likely that he will indeed look to quit Chelsea and move back to La Liga.