Thibaut Courtois signs five-year contract extension with Real Madrid

08/17/2021

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Real Madrid have confirmed that Thibaut Courtois has penned a new five-year contract extension with the club, keeping him at least until the summer of 2026. Courtois joined the Los Blancos from Chelsea in 2018 after a reported £35 million after spending seven years with the Stamford Bridge side.

Thibaut Courtois started in Madrid's opening match of the new campaign on Saturday night, marking his 130th club appearance for the club with a 4-1 win away to Alaves. The Belgian has been an integral part of the Real Madrid squad since he arrived in 2018 and displaced decorated keeper Keylor Navas as the undisputed number one. Courtois's move to Madrid from Chelsea came under controversial circumstances as the Belgian goalkeeper refused to show up for training in order to force a move away.

However, his performances in front of goal since then combined with the Belgian's stellar record for Real Madrid has impressed fans and critics alike with him playing a key role for the club as they clinched the 2019/20 La Liga title. It has seen Real Madrid confirm that the two parties have come to an agreement over a new contract with Courtois signing a five year extension, keeping him at the Santiago Bernabeu until at least the summer of 2026.

"Real Madrid CF and Thibaut Courtois have agreed to extend the player's contract, which will remain linked to the club for the next five seasons, until June 30, 2026," reads the statement on Real Madrid's website.

Months of speculation culminated when he finally made the switch from Chelsea to Real Madrid on the transfer deadline day in 2018 and the deal attracted further controversy from Atletico fans who were unhappy at the deal since he spent three fruitful years on loan with the Spanish side. But since then, the 29-year-old has established himself as Madrid's number one keeper making 130 appearances in all competitions and keeping 52 clean sheets.

Courtois thanks the fans for their unwavering support and promises to perform to his maximum capabilities to deliver silverware across all competitions for his remaining time at the club. He also revealed that the chance to prolong his relationship with both Real Madrid and the fans "is a true honour" with the Belgian overjoyed at the way he has been welcomed into the fold.

"Prolonging my relationship with the Real Madrid family until 2026 is a true honour. Real Madrid is my home, and I'm grateful to be so warmly welcomed here. To me, this extension is a reward for my efforts over the past year. It encourages me to work even harder and give my all to the best club in the world. Over the next five years, I will do my best together with our team to acquire new trophies for our Madridistas,” reveals Courtois on his official website.

“It's no secret that winning the Champions League with Real Madrid is at the top of my wish list. But here's a promise from me to you- I'll start every match like there's a trophy at stake. This club and its fans deserve that.

"Real Madrid already has a well-stocked trophy cabinet. Still, I would be very proud if I could look back and say that my teammates and I added a few more cups to the glorious history of this club. I'm looking forward to a bright future with Real Madrid,” he added.