Football
Peter O'Rourke, Transfer correspondent 6y

Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois tells Maurizio Sarri he wants to leave - sources

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has already informed new manager Maurizio Sarri he wants to leave, sources close to the club have told ESPN FC.

Following Sunday's Community Shield defeat to Manchester City, Sarri said that Courtois could be sold if he wanted to leave the club, but that he wanted the goalkeeper to tell him in person on Monday.

But Courtois, who was expected to return to preseason training with Chelsea on Monday following his involvement with Belgium at the World Cup, has already made his intentions clear to Sarri and club hierarchy in a phone call, sources said.

Later on Monday, Courtois failed to appear for training, sources confirmed to ESPN FC's Chelsea correspondent Liam Twomey, denying Sarri his face-to-face meeting.

Real Madrid have been strongly linked with a move for Courtois and are reported to have had several offers knocked back by Chelsea this summer. Courtois' agent pleaded for Chelsea to let him leave and said there was a deal on the table from Madrid.

Speaking at the weekend, Courtois said he was relaxed about the prospect of a move.

"I don't think I should comment to much about that in this moment because we are at a delicate time in the process," he said. "But I am quite calm and hope for a good outcome."


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Courtois' future has been the subject of speculation for much of the summer after he said he wants to move to be closer to his family who live in the Spanish capital.

Chelsea have been reluctant to let their No. 1 goalkeeper leave this summer as it does not give them much time to sign a replacement before Thursday's transfer deadline for Premier League clubs.

Courtois is entering the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea are expected to cash in after he pushed for a move.

Meanwhile, Pepe Reina has dismissed rumours linking him with a move to Chelsea, saying he is happy to have joined AC Milan, where he hopes to be named number one this season.

Reina moved to the Rossoneri on a free transfer from Napoli only last month, but he has been linked with a reunion with his former Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri in London.

"Yes, my desire is to stay at Milan -- I don't have any other," he said after being left out of Milan's 1-0 win over Barcelona as coach Gennaro Gattuso has rotated both of his goalkeepers in preseason.

Information from ESPN FC's Italy correspondent Ben Gladwell was used in this report.

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