Chelsea eyeing AC Milan star in case of Courtois departure

According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, Premier League champions Chelsea will move for AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, in the case that Thibaut Courtois departs the club for Real Madrid.

Star performer

Courtois returned to Stamford Bridge from a loan stint with Atletico Madrid in 2014 as one of the most highly-regarded goalkeepers in world football, and quickly usurped Petr Cech as the Blues’ no.1 option between the posts.


The 53-time capped international has since gone from strength-to-strength, solidifying himself as one of the first names on Antonio Conte’s team-sheet in the English capital.

La Liga return?

However, despite his successes at Chelsea, rumours linking Courtois with a return to Spain have never fully died down, with Atletico’s fierce rivals Real Madrid having long been reported to hold an interest in the Belgian.

Though it is common knowledge that Los Blancos’ first-choice signing would be Manchester United’s David De Gea, Courtois has reportedly been identified as the ideal alternative, with Zinedine Zidane and co. huge fans of the 6ft 6in star’s talents.

Backup plan

Courtois recently revealed that he is close to putting pen to paper on a new deal at Stamford Bridge, but Spanish journalist Guillem Balague has since suggested that this was little more than a ploy on the part of the Belgian to encourage Real to submit an offer for his services.

Whatever the case may be, as per the aforementioned report from Mundo Deportivo, Chelsea are said to be preparing for the possibility that Courtois could depart the club in the near future, with the Blues having put a contingency plan in place as a result.

This plan comes in the form of a move being prepared for AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has long been regarded as one of the finest young talents in world football.

Donnarumma has endured a tumultuous season at the San Siro to this point, having already been targeted by sections of Milan’s fans due to rumours that he could be seeking a departure from the club, just months after signing a new long-term contract.

And Chelsea reportedly plan to take advantage of his difficult situation with the Rossoneri in the case that Courtois moves on, with a big-money offer for the Italian touted on the part of the Blues.