New Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said yesterday he had fulfilled a childhood dream in moving to the Spanish giants from Chelsea despite spending three years on loan at rivals Atletico, and revealed he had turned down bigger offers from other clubs.
“Everyone who knows me knows how hard I’ve worked to get here, and I’m proud to be at the best club in the world. I’ve given my best throughout my career to get here, this was my childhood dream, to step on to this pitch in Madrid’s colours,” the Belgium international told a news conference yesterday. 
“I received better paid offers but I wanted to be in the best club in the world and be close to my children. Once Madrid’s interest was clear I had no doubts that I wanted to be here.”
Courtois, 26, signed for Madrid from Chelsea on Wednesday for a reported 35mn euros after winning two Premier League titles as well as the FA Cup and League Cup in England. Before then, he spent three seasons on loan at Atletico, lifting an unlikely La Liga title in 2014 as well as winning the King’s Cup by beating Real in the final at the Santiago Bernabeu.
He also sustained a gut-wrenching defeat to Real in the 2014 Champions League final, when his new captain Sergio Ramos’s injury time header denied Atletico glory, leading to Real winning 4-1 in extra-time.
“I have the maximum respect for Atletico, they took me on loan when I was young and I won many things, but it was different because I was on loan,” he said. “Now I’ve come to the club where I really wanted to be and I want to fight for many years to win trophies.”
Courtois’s first game for Real could be against Atletico in the UEFA Super Cup on Aug 15 although the fact he has trained little since reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup with Belgium means coach Julen Lopetegui may opt to play Keylor Navas instead. Courtois missed training with Chelsea in the days before his move to Real was sealed and he thanked the London club for helping him grow as a player but said he could not turn down the chance to play for Real.
“I would like to thank Chelsea’s fans for being there for me in the last few years, I always wanted to win the Premier League and I did it twice, but now I have a new chance which I have to take. I also have two children here and that influenced my decision,” he added. “I grew a lot physically in England and now I’m more mature and more experienced. I’ve improved a lot and I’ve come here to be the best I can.” 
Courtois was also is keen for his former Chelsea teammate Eden Hazard to join him at the Bernabeu. The Belgian said he would love to be reunited with the reported Madrid target Hazard – who is still at Chelsea. “He’s a wonderful player,” Courtois said. “I’d love to play alongside him again and we’ll have to see what happens in the future. If he ends up here one day that would be brilliant.”


Navas staying put at Madrid 
despite Courtois competition 
Meanwhile, Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas says the signing of Courtois has not affected his desire to remain at the triple European champions as he emphatically ruled out leaving the club in order to be assured of first team football.
“Tell everyone loud and clear, I have as much enthusiasm for leaving Madrid as I do for dying,” Navas told reporters after Real’s 2-1 victory over AS Roma in a friendly at the Metlife Stadium in New Jersey on Wednesday.
The Costa Rica international joined Real in 2014 and has helped them win a remarkable three consecutive Champions League crowns between 2016 and 2018 as well as lifting the La Liga title in 2017. The keeper’s long term future has often been in doubt, however.
He was on the verge of joining Manchester United in 2015 when Real’s pursuit of David de Gea fell through on transfer deadline day, while the club also failed to sign Spain goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga last January from Athletic Bilbao.
Navas’s status as Real’s number one is now seriously threatened by the arrival of Courtois, who was awarded the Golden Glove for being the best goalkeeper at the 2018 World Cup.


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