Courtois rubbishes Real rumours

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has rubbished reports he will allow his Chelsea contract to run down in order to join Real Madrid.

Courtois has impressed again at Atleti in his third season on loan at the club from the Premier League leaders.

Reports in Spanish media over the weekend claimed he would look to move to the Bernabeu in 2016, when his current deal at Stamford Bridge expires, having grown frustrated with a lack of first-team opportunities since joining from Genk in 2011.

The Belgium international’s form has helped propel Diego Simeone’s side to second in La Liga, just three points behind city rivals Real.

And he appears destined to return to Chelsea at the season’s end, with the 21-year-old rejecting suggestions he will look to engineer a move from London.

“It (talk linking me to Real Madrid) is completely false,” Courtois told AS.

“I couldn’t have said any such thing to (Atletico owner) Gil Marin because it isn’t true.

“Everyone knows I’ve got a contract with Chelsea and I’m happy at Atletico.”