Thibaut Courtois, the goalkeeper for Real Madrid, has reminded Chelsea’s potential new owners that they are purchasing “one of the best clubs in the world.”
Courtois will return to his old haunts at Stamford Bridge in tonight’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg match between Real Madrid and Chelsea.
Currently, four competing consortiums are negotiating to acquire Chelsea from Roman Abramovich, who is selling the Premier League giants in the midst of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
And Courtois has now urged Chelsea’s potential suitors to maintain the West London club at the top of the international game.
“I think it has been a hard month for the club [Chelsea] and for the fans, but I think you can see that all the people that love Chelsea are really putting all their energy together,” Courtois was quoted by Chelsea’s official website as saying.
“The new owners must know what club they’re buying. And hopefully, they can keep that spirit that has always been here.
“In total I was part of Chelsea for seven years, and that was a big part of my career,” he said.
The Belgium international added: “They gave me the chance to grow myself, to come back and to learn with Petr Cech. And I won two Premier League titles, so I am always happy to come back here.
“I hope the new owners will understand what they are buying and that Chelsea can remain as one of the best clubs in the world.”