Chelsea
goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois says he is willing to extend his tenure at the
club beyond 2019 and that a new deal is "close".
The Belgium goalkeeper's current deal expires in June 2019 and he has been
linked with a move to Real Madrid.
But Courtois says he is close to agreeing an extension - and added that
compatriot Eden Hazard, whose deal expires in 2020, is also keen to remain
at Stamford Bridge.
Courtois told the London Evening Standard: "I'm happy at Chelsea and a deal
is close.
"Has it been a distraction? Not for me. I'm just calm and relaxed, because
I'm tied to Chelsea. Despite the rumours and everything, I am focused on
Chelsea and I'm happy here.
"Do Eden and I encourage each other to sign? Yes. He will say 'if you sign,
I will sign' and I say the same to him. I think we are both happy at
Chelsea, we both have a good part to play.
"We have been champions twice in the four seasons I have been here and can
have our peak years together at Chelsea."
Hazard would command a huge fee were he to depart but Courtois does not
think the in-form forward should be let go, whatever Chelsea are offered.
"Losing a player like Eden would be bad for us, the club," said the
goalkeeper.
"Eden is irreplaceable. With the money he will raise, you can buy five
players, but none of them will be like Eden.
"It would be like Barcelona losing Lionel Messi or Real Madrid losing
Cristiano Ronaldo. If you excel, there will always be teams interested in
signing the biggest players.
"But that's why, if Chelsea have ambition to be the best club in the world,
these kind of players have to stay."
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