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Real Madrid reverse course on Chelsea transfer deal

By Rucker Haringey

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 22: Thibaut Courtois of Chelsea in action during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Hull City at Stamford Bridge on January 22, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 22: Thibaut Courtois of Chelsea in action during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Hull City at Stamford Bridge on January 22, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) /
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Real Madrid are desperate to sign Thibaut Courtois

The worst-kept secret of the summer transfer window is that Real Madrid intend to pry Thibaut Courtois away from Chelsea. In a sign of real desperation, the La Liga giants have already changed their minds about one huge aspect of the potential transfer.

When discussions between representatives for the two clubs began, Real Madrid made it clear that Alvaro Morata wouldn’t be a part of any deal. Now, reports from England claim that Florentino Perez is now telling Chelsea that the talented striker can be discussed in negotiations. This represents a huge reversal of policy for Los Blancos.

Firstly, this has to be received as excellent news from the Chelsea point of view. Antonio Conte has worked with Morata before and he could be a terrific replacement for Diego Costa this summer. Morata has just the power and pace that Chelsea cover in their centre forwards.

If you’re a Real Madrid fan, this news should be sounding alarm bells. At best, it just illustrates how desperate Perez is to sign Courtois. It’s entirely possible that Chelsea threatened to stop negotiations altogether if Morata wasn’t a part of the deal. In that case, Perez would have had no choice but to cede to their demands.

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As I said, that’s the best case explanation. The worst case explanation is that Real Madrid have now realized that Paulo Dybala is beyond their reach. Originally, they were hoping to use Morata as a makeweight with Juventus in a Dybala transfer. If Real Madrid are now willing to use Morata to sign Courtois, it may mean that Dybala is no longer a part of their summer transfer plans.

If a swap of Courtois for Morata does occur, it will be interesting to see whether or not any cash changes hands. One could easily make the argument that Morata is the most valuable player. He is, after all, a striker. Courtois is a world-class keeper, but netminders just aren’t valued at the same rate as those who knock the ball past them.

Next: Real Madrid hit with rash of injuries

The transfer saga of Thibaut Courtois continues to turn, but Real Madrid are already showing their desperation. If they’re willing to send Morata to Stamford Bridge, look for a deal to get done this summer.

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