Thibaut Courtois Would Have Considered Chelsea Exit Without First Team Assurances

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has suggested he would have left the club again this summer had he not been selected as the new no.1 ahead of Petr Cech.

Jose Mourinho handed the Belgian international his club debut in the season opening win over Burnley on Monday evening after three spectacular loan spells at Atletico Madrid.

Courtois provided little reason to suggest his starting place will be in jeopardy for this weekend's meeting with Leicester City after a commanding performance against Sean Dyche's side, putting Cech's immediate future at the club in real doubt.

Mourinho suggested after the win his goalkeeping decision was not final, an indication that both goalkeepers will have key roles to play this season. However, after making his debut three years on from initially signing for the club, Courtois has hinted he was given assurances over his role at Stamford Bridge that prevented him from seeking an exit.

"The manager said [I was starting] an hour before the game," Courtois said. "It was nice. I came here obviously to play. I know that Petr is a great goalkeeper so there is a lot of competition but, when you come back from a successful loan, you hope to play. Otherwise it would maybe have been better for me to go to another team."

But despite the rivalry between the two goalkeepers, Courtois added he is eager for 32-year-old Cech to stay, despite reports suggesting Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain could be ready to offer him an exit route.

"Of course I want Petr to stay. In training I can still learn from him because he has a lot of experience. He can give me good tips about the Premier League, things I might not know in the start. He is nice to me.

"We are training very well and he is still proving he is a great goalkeeper. For the team is better to have two good goalkeepers. I don't have a problem if he stays. Hopefully I can play well and stay in the team."