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Friday, 12 September 2014

Courtois commits to Chelsea

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has signed a
new five-year contract with the Premier League club.
The 22-year-old joined the Blues for an undisclosed
fee in July 2011 and spent the next three season on
loan at Atletico Madrid where he established
himself as one of the best keepers in the world with
a string of impressive performances.
Courtois returned to Stamford Bridge this season
and started the first three matches of the Barclays
Premier League season ahead of Petr Cech before
being rewarded with a new deal.
"Chelsea Football Club is pleased to announce
Thibaut Courtois has today signed a new five-year
contract," said a statement on the club's website.
Courtois added: "I'm very happy with this new deal,
it's really nice to have signed this new contract for
five years.
"My future was already sorted but it's nice to know
I'm going to be here for another five years and now
I can just concentrate on playing games."
The news brings into doubt Cech's future at
Stamford Bridge, with manager Jose Mourinho
preferring Courtois at the start of the campaign.
The 32-year-old Czech Republic goalkeeper has
faced unfamiliar circumstances this season,
beginning the season on the substitutes' bench.
It is a situation reminiscent of when Cech was
installed as number one ahead of the established
Carlo Cudicini after his signing from Rennes in June
2004. That, too, was a decision made by Mourinho.
Courtois, who had two years remaining on his
existing deal, made his Chelsea debut in the opening
3-1 win at Burnley last month, but he has proved
his credentials on the big stage.
He won Spain's Primera Division title with Atletico
last season and the Europa League in 2012.
Three times he played against Chelsea for Atletico -
in the European Super Cup in 2012 and in last
season's two-legged Champions League semi-final,
when he played at Stamford Bridge as a Blues
player for the first time.
Atletico prevailed, but lost to city rivals Real Madrid
in the final.
Courtois was also Belgium's first-choice goalkeeper
at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, when they
reached the quarter-finals.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.

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