Share

Courtois seals 'dream' move to Los Blancos

Cape Town - Former Atletico Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois says he has 'realised a dream' by joining Real Madrid on a six-year contract from Chelsea.

The Belgium international spent three years on loan with Los Blancos' city rivals at the start of his Blues career, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Europa League.

Courtois was brought into the first team at Stamford Bridge in 2014 and helped the west Londoners to the Premier League and EFL Cup double in his first season.

However, the 26-year-old had long expressed a desire to move back to the Spanish capital, where his family continue to live, and was heavily linked with a switch to the Santiago Bernabeu since the start of this year.

The way was paved for him to sign for Real after the FA Cup champions brought in Kepa from Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday.

"Today I am realising a dream. This is the best club in the world," Courtois told the media at his unveiling after completing a medical on Thursday.

"Since childhood I dreamed that this moment could happen. Today I'm one of you. I'm a more Madrid. Hala Madrid."

The Genk youth product made 154 appearances in all competitions for the Blues during a four-year spell, winning four major trophies.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE