Simeone is desperate to keep Courtois at the Vicente Calderon Stadium.
Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone says the club will pay whatever it costs to keep Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois at the Vicente Calderon Stadium.
The 21-year-old is currently midway through the Belgian’s third successive loan spell with Atletico and the stopper wants his future decided in the summer.
Courtois has already made it clear that another period on-loan will not happen and that the Blues need to make a decision on whether they want the youngster to be their No.1 or not.
“My agent is currently talking with Chelsea,” the Belgium international was quoted by Sky Sports.
“One of the weeks I’ll have a chat with Jose Mourinho – when we meet hasn’t been decided yet.
“I will never say I’m a better goalkeeper than Petr Cech,” he said. “But I’m not a player anymore that you can put on the bench, I think.
“I will take that in mind when I take a decision. I can say what I think, but in the end the boss makes the decision.
“Clubs who are interested have to pay what Chelsea asks, if they want to sell me of course.”
Mourinho initially wanted to bring Courtois back to Stamford Bridge to act as competition for Cech, but it looks as if the starlet will not accept that situation.
Therefore Simeone is keen to make it clear to the west London club that Atleti will pay upwards of £20m to bring in the ‘keeper permanently.
“For me anything paid for Courtois would be cheap,” the Argentine was quoted by the Daily Express.
“He’s a young guy who has a huge future and is on track to becoming one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
“Signing a goalkeeper of his caliber would be a big step, but it will not be easy.”
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