Chelsea GK Thibaut Courtois Says He's Close to Signing New Deal, Urges Hazard to Follow

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has revealed he is getting nearer to signing a new deal at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has revealed he is getting nearer to signing a new deal at Stamford Bridge.

The Belgian stopper has been with the Blues since 2011, but spent three seasons out on loan at Atletico Madrid, before ousting Petr Cech as the club's number one in 2014.

Courtois has gone on to establish himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and shone for the west Londoners in Thursday's derby match with Arsenal at the Emirates.

The former Genk star demonstrated excellent reflexes and smart shot-stopping as he helped Chelsea claim a point to stay third in the Premier League table, and after the match he delivered some promising news for Blues supporters.

Via Belgian journalist Kristof Terreur on Twitter, the 25-year-old said: "A deal is close."

He then provide some more encouragement for fans by adding: "Do Eden and I encourage each other? Yes. He will say 'if you sign, I will sign' and I say the same to him."

As things stand, Courtois' current deal at the Bridge expires in the summer of 2019, and his compatriot Hazard's is up in 2020, and the club have been trying to tie the pair down to improved and extended contracts.

The fact that 'a deal is close' for Courtois will come as a relief to fans, who have had to read about speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid in recent weeks, with David De Gea apparently no longer a target for los Blancos.

Hazard has also been flirting with Real, and is known to idolise their manager Zinedine Zidane, and so fans will be hopeful Courtois can provide a big enough influence to get the talisman to stay.