Belgium international goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is set to hold talks with parent-club Chelsea regarding his long-term future next month.
Courtois, 21, joined Chelsea on a five-year deal from Jupiler Pro League side K.R.C. Genk in July 2011 and has been on loan at Atlético Madrid since the start of the 2011/12 season.
The Belgium No. 1, who has made 133 combined appearances for El Atleti over the past three seasons, is considered one of the best goalkeepers in world football, and rightfull so.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has insisted he expects Courtois back at Stamford Bridge after the World Cup finals in Brazil but the Belgian has yet to reveal his plans.
According to reports, Atletico are willing to offer Diego Costa or Koke in exchange for the highly-rated 21-year-old shot-stopper.
The Blues have a few months to make a decision regarding the Belgian’s long-term future at the club but a swap deal involving Diego Costa seems to make sense for both parties.
Chelsea have failed to adequately replace former star striker Didier Drogba since the Ivorian left for China following the 2011/12 season.
The £50 million signing of Fernando Torres has yet to bear fruit while Demba Ba and Samuel Eto’o are not expected to be at the club for the long haul.
“We have a meeting with Chelsea and we will be talking about everything with them,” Thierry Courtois, Thibaut’s father, told the Daily Express, as per Sky Sports.
“It is too early to make a definite decision yet. We have to negotiate with Chelsea.
“Thibaut has been doing very well with Atletico but there are still three months of the season to go, and a lot can happen in that time.”
Over the past three seasons, Courtois has won three trophies — Copa del Rey (2012/13), UEFA Europa League (2011/12) and the UEFA Super Cup (2012) — at the Estadio Vicente Calderón.
Jordan Bowery joins Doncasters Rovers on loan
English Championship side Doncaster Rovers have completed the signing of Aston Villa forward Jordan Bowery on an initial one-month loan deal, according to the club’s official website.
Bowery, who moved to Villa Park from Chesterfield in August 2012, has been brought in by manager Paul Dickov after losing Billy Sharp and Theo Robinson to a three-match ban and injury, respectively.
The 22-year-old has been assigned the No. 34 shirt.
“When I joined Villa, the Chesterfield manager told me I would be in the development squad and that’s what I was expecting,” Bowery told Doncasterroversfc.co.uk.
“But from my first day I was training with the first team and I was really buzzing. It was a massive surprise to me.
“To jump from League Two to the Premier League was incredible.
“It’s the same game in any league but at this level there are more technical, smarter players, and you have to adapt to that.
“I’m learning from everyone around me – Gabby Agbonlahor, Darren Bent, Charles N’Zogbia, all of them.”
Doncaster are priced at 7/4 to suffer relegation to League One.
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