Real Madrid reach Thibaut Courtois and David de Gea crossroads and Neymar could hold the key

After months of contradictory reports, Thibaut Courtois’ future is far from a complete picture. In fact, it’s more of a second-hand jigsaw puzzle for ages 3+, replete with missing panels, frayed edges and pieces chewed beyond recognition. Having said back in February that his heart was in Madrid – his ex-partner and two children live in the city where he spent three seasons on loan with Atletico – Courtois half-heartedly reaffirmed his intention to sign a contract extension with Chelsea. “One day I’ll return to Madrid. I love Spain, I loved that city, I spent three wonderful years there,” he told Belgian publication Sport Foot Magazine at the time.

“If Real are interested, they have to contact Chelsea. We’ll see, but they have never done so. If they’re really interested, my personal situation could affect it. The family aspect is priceless. But, I repeat, for the moment I’m busy talking to Chelsea to extend.”

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Currently out with a hamstring injury picked up in training ahead of Chelsea’s FA Cup victory over Leicester on Sunday, Courtois’ future has once again been a topic of discussion this week. Given that his current contract only runs until the summer of 2019, Chelsea fans are understandably beginning to wonder when exactly he plans to sign a new deal.

After his performance in the second leg of their Round of 16 clash with Barcelona – a 3-0 defeat in which Courtois conceded an early opener to Lionel Messi from a tight angle at his near post, then another between his wide open legs in the second half – there were rumblings of discontent among Chelsea fans regarding Courtois’ form in recent months. Though he is widely rated as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, there seems to be an undercurrent of irritation over some of his showings this season. With his heart – and possibly his head – in Madrid, there’s a feeling that Courtois has suffered a slight but significant drop in effectiveness.

Courtois or De Gea?

Former Chelsea defender William Gallas has further stirred the pot over Courtois’ future – along with that of Eden Hazard – telling Goal: “You have got so many great players in the world that if Hazard or Courtois has to leave, you can find a good goalkeeper to replace Courtois. You have good wingers who can replace Eden Hazard. That’s the job of the scouts to find the right players.

“Sometimes you have to accept your best players have to leave or want to leave. Maybe because they want to play in a different league. Maybe because they have already won the FA Cup, Premier League and Carabao Cup.”

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Though Courtois’ official position is that he is “committed” to Chelsea and wants to remain at Stamford Bridge next season, the fact that he is still prevaricating suggests things could come to a head this summer. It’s possible that his representatives will use Real’s reported interest to leverage better terms from Chelsea, but then again a concerted effort to unsettle him could complicate matters – especially if Real decide to bring their enormous influence and full financial might to bear.

That said, Courtois is not the only one with a choice to make over his future. Florentino Perez also needs to decide which goalkeeper will be best for Real Madrid, with long-term target David de Gea also reportedly in the frame. De Gea came within a whisker of joining Los Blancos in the summer of 2015, the deal only collapsing after United and Real failed to file the requisite paperwork before deadline. De Gea knows what it takes to engineer a move to Real Madrid and vice versa, even if the last attempt was foiled by two wayward minutes after the close of the transfer window.

Neymar a complication?

De Gea, too, has a contract which runs until the summer of 2019, though United have an option to extend it by another year. While Courtois has seen his form vacillate along with Chelsea’s fortunes over the past few seasons – if not quite as drastically – De Gea has been an island of consistency in a sea of volatility at Old Trafford. While a figure of around £75m has been mooted in the press for Courtois, De Gea could cost anything up to £87m according to Marca. That would make him by far the most expensive goalkeeper in history, smashing the £35m Manchester City paid for Ederson last year.

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If Courtois is the marginally cheaper option – something which, despite Real’s massive economic clout, could come into the equation if Los Blancos are serious about spending a brain-melting amount of money on Neymar – De Gea nonetheless seems like the better value.

While Courtois can still be considered one of the best in the world, even after a relatively fallible season, De Gea has been an immovable colossus for United whether faced with stormy squalls or becalmed waters in front of him. De Gea has a 39.1% Premier League clean sheet record to Courtois’ 38.3%, this despite having made 110 more appearances since arriving in England in 2011. De Gea has better discipline overall and is more of a specialist with the long ball, though Courtois sweeps and passes more.

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Stats aside, De Gea’s shot stopping, reflexes and reading of the game are peerless. Courtois is two years younger than his Spanish counterpart and, as such, has time to match him, but seems to be behind De Gea by a modicum on those key criteria. While those two years give Courtois some added potential, Real Madrid are the sort of team who require the finished article down to the finest of details. Dea Gea best fits that description, leaving Los Blancos with a compelling dilemma as to where they should focus their energies.