Thibaut Courtois Signs Five Year Extension With Chelsea
Jul 1, 2014; Salvador, BRAZIL; United States forward Chris Wondolowski (left) misses on a shot on goal over Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (right) during the round of sixteen match in the 2014 World Cup at Arena Fonte Nova. Belgium defeated USA 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
There are two sides to every story. For Thibaut Courtois, today will be remembered as the beginning of a sure to be glorious career with Chelsea Football Club. For Petr Cech, today more than likely marked the end of his time at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s 22-year-old prodigy, Courtois, signed a five-year extension with the London-based footballing club today for an undisclosed wage. The Belgian joined “The Blues” after an extensive loan period with Atletico Madrid where he dazzled Spanish audiences with acrobatic saves. During his three years in the Spanish capital the gangly youngster took home almost every trophy possible, winning La Liga this past season as well as winning the Europa League Championship in 2012.
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This summer, Portuguese mastermind, Jose Mourinho decided to keep the services of Courtois, despite having a club legend like Cech at the club. The two goalkeepers could not be any different in status. Cech, 32-years-old, has been a main stay at Chelsea for a decade, making over 300 appearances for the club. Beloved by the fans of Chelsea, Cech was in top form during the 2013/2014 season. Courtois is young and has little experience playing the top flight of English Football. However, he is widely regarded as the best young keeper in the world as his performances in La Liga, the Champions League and the 2014 World Cup have drawn thunderous reviews.
It was made quite clear by the skipper Mourinho that the two would be in competition for the first team spot during the pre season. The tall and gangly young man beat out the club veteran and Courtois earned the first team spot. His performances have been far from disappointing in the infancy of the 2014/2015 Premier League season. All the aptitude and promise that he exhibited the previous three years have been on display for the English fans.
While Cech is sure to get time on the field during domestic cup fixtures and intermittently in league play, the long-term deal with Courtois has signaled the end of an era for the Czech keeper. The ageing Chelsea man is still in top form and one of the best keepers on the planet, therefore he warrants a contract at a club where he can frequently show the world what he is still capable of.
Over the summer Cech opted to stay with the club and fight for the starting spot, but now his move is inevitable. Clubs like Monaco in France have shown interest in acquiring his skills and might be one of many clubs who scramble to sign Cech to their squad. For Chelsea fans, enjoy these coming months with Cech on your squad because when the winter transfer window rolls around, he will be snapped up.