I will not block Courtois move to Real Madrid, concedes Chelsea boss

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has revealed he will allow Thibaut Courtois to join Real Madrid if the goalkeeper personally requests the move.

Courtois has stalled on signing a new deal with Chelsea over the last 12 months and has been heavily linked with a return to Spain. 

The Belgium international has entered the final season of his existing deal at Stamford Bridge and has been earmarked as a top transfer target by Madrid.

Julen Lopetegui’s side have reportedly agreed a fee with Chelsea in the region of £35m but the west London outfit must first secure his replacement.

Courtois’ agent has urged Chelsea to allow the 26-year-old to return to Spain to be with his children and Sarri has conceded he will not stand in his way if that’s what he wants.

“I’m not interested in the agent,” The Guardian quote Sarri as saying. “I want to hear Courtois. If Courtois tomorrow says to me the same [as the agent], then I have to speak with my player, of course. Because I only want players with very high levels of motivation.”

In the last four Premier League campaigns, only David De Gea (57) and Hugo Lloris (51) have kept more clean sheets than Courtois (48).