Courtois keeping Chelsea & Real Madrid guessing but admits to future 'preference'

Thibaut Courtois has admitted to having a “preference” regarding his future, but has refused to divulge whether he intends to be at Chelsea or Real Madrid in 2018-19.

Transfer talk has been building around the Belgium international for some time, with talk of a move to Spain refusing to go away.

Courtois has helped to keep those fires burning by admitting on a regular basis that he hopes to complete such a switch at some stage, with his two young children still based in Madrid following a previous loan spell at Atletico Madrid.

Real are reported to be stepping up their interest this summer, as they seek to bring in a new No.1, and a long-standing target has hinted that he could be on the move once his World Cup commitments in Russia come to a close.

Courtois told Sporza when quizzed on his future: “I have a certain preference, I already have ideas in my head, but I have moved everything until after the World Cup.

"What is most important is my children. My daughter is three years old, my son is a year old, and I have not seen them for a year-and-a-half.

“FaceTime is beautiful, but seeing them grow up is something else.

“So my children will play an important role in my decision.

“Do I want to go to Madrid? I do not know we'll see. I still have a choice to make.”

Courtois’ current contract at Chelsea is only due to run until 2019. As he enters the final 12 months of that deal, the Blues have an important decision to make when it comes to his future.

They cannot afford to let the 26-year-old run down that agreement to free agency, with the current transfer window set to present them with a last chance to demand a sizeable fee if no fresh terms can be agreed.