Courtois Invites Former Chelsea Teammate to Join Him at Madrid

Belgian goalkeeper and former Chelsea player Thibaut Courtois has invited his former Chelsea teammate Eden Hazard to join him at Bernabeu.

Football news: Thibaut Courtois has joined Real Madrid from Chelsea to stay closer to his family

The goalkeeper, having completed a €35 million (£31m/$40m) move from Stamford Bridge, was speaking at his unveiling at the Santiago Bernabeu.

After posing for a kiss on the Madrid’s badge on his jersey, he issued a call to his former mate to join him at Spain, a deal which was regarded as a replacement of Cristiano Ronaldo.

“If he can come, it would be fantastic,” he said. “He is very happy that I am here, he is a great player and I would like to be always at his side, let's see what happens in the future.”

Courtois also admitted that the move was solely based on personal issues and not financial ones, as he wanted to move closer to his family which lives in Spain. He also revealed that he had received other lucrative offers too but turned them down.

“I received many offers, economically better, but I wanted to be close to my children,” he said.

Courtois also revealed that Spanish and Real Madrid’s legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas was the hero he always looked up to while growing up.

“When you’re a kid there is always a club that catches your attention. Casillas caught my attention and my friends gave me presents if they travelled to Madrid,” he said.

“When I saw Iker play at the beginning what most caught my attention is that a goalkeeper of 18 could stand the pressure of the Bernabeu. He had to be very strong.”

Courtois also said that he is not worried about unfavourable treatment, as he had earlier played for city-rivals Atletico Madrid in a two-year loan deal, and said that kissing on the badge meant affection for a club in which he totally feels at home.

“I think they will welcome me like everyone who defends the Real Madrid badge,” he said. “I have the utmost respect for Atletico, although I was on loan. It was different. Now I am where I want to be and I don’t think I had kissed a badge before. I want to win many titles here.”

Despite all the positive feeling Courtois also knows that he does not have a guaranteed spot ahead of Keylor Navas, Real’s current No. 1, who had strongly shown his desire to remain at the club on Wednesday.

“Nobody is guaranteed to be a starter, thinking that would be a mistake,” he said. “First you have to prove it in training and I think it has to be like that.

“Nowhere have I been given guarantees to play. I’ve come here to compete to the fullest.

“When I joined Chelsea I had to replace Petr Cech. I still talk to him today, he's a friend.

“The goalkeepers are a separate group in a locker room, we get along and come to compete as best we can.”

Courtois might be allowed to make his debut in the UEFA Super Cup which is scheduled to be played next Wednesday against his former loan-club Atletico Madrid.