Petr Cech is demanding assurances about his Chelsea future as Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco manoeuvre into position to bid for the goalkeeper.
The Czech Republic No 1’s future is in doubt following Jose Mourinho’s decision to start with Thibaut Courtois against Burnley on Monday night.
Cech feels he has been left in the dark over his first-team prospects following the return of Courtois from Atletico Madrid. And the 32-year-old wants to know what chance he has of reclaiming his place before deciding on his next move.
The transfer deadline is just 10 days away, so Cech is seeking urgent answers.
Cech’s omission from Monday’s starting XI alerted a number of Europe’s leading clubs. PSG and Monaco have concrete interest in the goalkeeper and Chelsea are
bracing themselves for bids in the coming days.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is also monitoring the situation, despite signing Costa Rica’s World Cup hero Keylor Navas from Levante.
Chelsea are reluctant to part with Cech — who joined them from French side Rennes in 2004 — despite all the signs pointing to him staying second-choice.
Mourinho, despite saying continuity in the goalkeeper position is important, still feels Cech can dislodge Courtois and likes having two world-class keepers in his squad.
Chelsea want Cech to fight for his place, but he is unlikely to accept a season on the bench. A loan move away from Stamford Bridge, with a recall option, could suit Chelsea and Cech.
Meanwhile, Courtois insisted yesterday he wants Cech to stay at Chelsea, saying: ‘In training, I can still learn from him because he has a lot of experience. He can give me good tips about the Premier League, things I might not know from the start.
‘It is better for us to have two good goalkeepers.I don’t have a problem if he stays.
‘Hopefully I can play well and stay in the team.
‘The manager told me an hour before the Burnley game (that I was playing). It was nice because I came here to play.
‘I know Petr is a great goalkeeper, so there is a lot of competition, but when you come back from a successful loan you hope to play.
‘Otherwise it would maybe have been better for me to go to another team.’ – Daily Mail