Chelsea Star Courtois Puts £200k-Per-Week Deal Talks on Hold as Real Madrid & PSG Prepare to Swoop
Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has reportedly put the breaks on negotiating a new £200k-per-week contract, as top European sides Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly stepped up their interest in signing the super-stopper.
As reported by the Sun, the Blues board were ready to offer Courtois a lucrative new deal, but the Belgian international has delayed contract talks in the wake of interest from Los Blancos. The 25-year-old's current contract expires at the end of the season, and rumours persist that he will look to leave the west Londoners in pursuit of a big move to the Bernabéu.
Real Madrid are set for a major squad overhaul at the end of the season, after their dismal form in the league this season has seen them slip 14 points behind league leaders Barcelona in the race for the La Liga title. A new keeper is thought to be top of manager Zinedine Zidane's wishlist, with Courtois seen as an ideal replacement for the inconsistent Keylor Navas.
Meanwhile, Belgian journalist Kristof Terreur has taken to Twitter to claim that PSG have entered the race to sign Courtois. Terreur claims that while the mega-rich club's interest is minor at present, they could well look to bring in the 6ft 5' stopper if they can make sure that Financial Fair Play rules would permit the deal.
As I said before: PSG are definitely in the market for Thibaut Courtois. They are sniffing around, held informal talks. No formal offers as yet as a lot will depend on FFP & them offloading some players. Plus Courtois wants to play in a team that can compete for CL trophy. #cfc pic.twitter.com/A32Dg6h99P
— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) March 1, 2018
In other news, Antonio Conte's days as Chelsea manager could well be numbered, as Italian federation vice-commissioner Alessandro Costacurta has claimed that the Blues boss will be on a three-man shortlist alongside Roberto Mancini and Luigi Di Bagio to take over the international team in June.
Despite winning the Premier League with Chelsea last season, Conte has endured a fractious follow-up season with the Blues. After a summer in which a number of the club's young talents were sold and loaned-out - with little in the way of replacements - the former-Juventus man has publicly admitted his frustrations with the board, as he struggles to get results with a skeleton squad.