- Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will see his contract expire in 2019
- Antonio Conte makes no secret of his desire to see Belgian sign long-term deal
- Interest from Real Madrid, PSG and Juventus could complicate matters
- READ MORE: Chelsea fans won’t be happy, Man Utd star takes indirect swipe at Blues
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is keen to see one of his star men sign a new deal at the club, and has sent a not-so-subtle message to the hierarchy.
Since his arrival at Stamford Bridge last year, the Italian tactician has been able to rely on Thibaut Courtois between the posts to be a consistent and decisive presence and to marshal the backline.
The Belgian shot-stopper has firmly established himself as one of the best in Europe, initially impressing during his loan spell with Atletico Madrid before returning to Chelsea in 2014 and growing into a fundamental piece in their success to win two Premier League titles in three years.
In turn, it’s no real surprise that Conte is eager to get his contract situation sorted, with the 25-year-old set to see his current deal expire in 2019.
As noted by The Telegraph, contracts talks had been rumoured to start again soon, with interest from Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus undoubtedly acting as a constant reminder to Chelsea that they must get a new agreement sorted sooner rather than later or risk losing him.
Most clubs like to avoid the idea of key players having just 12 months to run on their deals, and it seems as though Conte is no different as he has urged the club to get the situation figured out.
“Thibaut is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, maybe even the best. Despite his age he shows great maturity and he is a fantastic player,” Conte said in his press conference, as reported by Sky Sports.
“I hope to find an agreement with the club but this is the club’s responsibility.”
Whether or not a new deal is agreed upon remains to be seen, but with Chelsea struggling to keep up the pace with league leaders Man City this season, the challenge of extending their stay at the top of the tree in England could be one that keeps Courtois in west London.