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Jose Mourinho has announced Thibaut Courtois will return to Chelsea next season - setting up a potential battle for the No 1 shirt with Petr Cech.
The young Belgian stopper has spent the last three years with Atletico Madrid, becoming one of the best and most sough-after players in the world.
Courtois helped Atleti win their first La Liga title in 18 years last season and excelled in the Champions League as Diego Simeone's side were beaten by cross-town rivals Real in the final.
Cech has held the No 1 shirt at Chelsea for 10 years and holds the club record for clean sheets, keeping more than 200 since he arrived from Rennes in 2004, while Courtois has never played a game for the Blues.
Show all 9 1 /9Chelsea: Potential summer transfer targets Chelsea: Potential summer transfer targets Paul Pogba Former Manchester United midfielder was spotted in west London setting the rumour mill into overdrive. The classy French midfielder, still just 21, impressed at the World Cup and has been linked with a blockbuster £60m move to Stamford Bridge, despite the recent arrival of Cesc Fabregas. However, he is also linked with a move to Manchester City as a potential replacement for Yaya Toure.
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Chelsea: Potential summer transfer targets Adrien Rabiot The talented teen put clubs in Europe on alert after rejecting a contract offer from Paris Saint-Germain. Chelsea made a move for the Frenchman in January and have gone back in for him, even though he is highly rated by PSG coach Laurent Blanc.
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Chelsea: Potential summer transfer targets Sami Khedira The German midfielder missed five months for Real Madrid's season with a knee injury and has played just 15 games this term. With Madrid reportedly interested in signing new players in central midfield, Khedira's future at the Bernabeu could be at an end. The 27-year-old is interesting Arsenal, but should Chelsea go in for him too, they would be getting a player that Mourinho knows well and real quality in front of the back four, not dissimilar to club legend Claude Makelele.
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Chelsea: Potential summer transfer targets Yaya Toure An outside bet, of course, but with all the drama surrounding the Toure and Manchester City recently, Chelsea could swoop. A powerhouse of a midfielder with a surprisingly deft touch and devastating skill at the dead ball, the 31-year-old would be huge assent to any team in the world. Toure cost City £24million in 2010, so any offer would have to huge from Chelsea if they are to persuade the Sky Blues to sell to a title rival.
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Chelsea: Potential summer transfer targets Paulinho Tottenham's summer signing hasn't quite lived up to the form he reached in Brazil's Confederations Cup victory in 2013 and struggled at the World Cup, but he has still performed well enough to have Chelsea and Real Madrid reportedly interested in acquiring his services. The 25-year-old would fit in well at Stamford Bridge given the Blues' strong Brazilian contingent already. Paulinho had a mixed first season in the Premier League, scored six goals with three assists last season and not the return Spurs were hoping for, and the lure of Champions League football could persuade the midfielder to switch London clubs.
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Chelsea: Potential summer transfer targets Fabio Coentrao With Ashley Cole having joined Roma and Ryan Bertrand also likely to leave, Jose Mourinho will be in need of a quality, experienced left-back and one possibility is Real Madrid's Coentrao. The 26-year-old came close to joining Manchester United in January and is likely to lose his starting place at Madrid when Marcelo is fully fit again next season. Carlo Ancelotti denies any rumours that the Portuguese defender will leave but if the right offer were to be made by Chelsea, he could be on his way to London and nail down a starting role with ease.
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Chelsea: Potential summer transfer targets Edinson Cavani After a season of playing in the shadow of Zlatan Ibrahimovic at PSG, Cavani looks likely to leave the French side after just one year and become the main man at an English club next season. Chelsea remain interested in the Uruguayan but Chelsea are despite a deal for Diego Costa already complete, but may face competition from Manchester United. The 27-year-old cost PSG €64.5million last summer, so any offer from Mourinho would take a large slice of his funds but with his striking power and goals an almost guarantee, it could be a risk worth going for.
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Chelsea: Potential summer transfer targets Radamel Falcao The Colombian striker did not regain fitness in time for the World Cup but it has given him a good chance to weigh up his future. Seemingly always in transfer rumours despite his €60m switch to Monaco last summer, Falcao is a long-term target of the Blues, though Diego Costa has filled the previously vacant No 9 role. The 28-year-old lit up La Liga during his two seasons with Atlectico Madrid but, mainly because of injury, has failed to live up to his price tag in France. If unrest reports are true, Chelsea could attempt an offer.
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Chelsea: Potential summer transfer targets Raphael Varane Reportedly unhappy at Real Madrid due to his low wages in comparison to his team-mates, the centre back has been linked with a move away. Chelsea are reportedly one of the clubs interested in the France international with Jose Mourinho seeing him as a long-term replacement for John Terry.
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But despite interest in a return to Atletico, Mourinho now appears keen to bring Courtois back to his parent club to challenge the 32-year-old Cech for a place in the Chelsea goal.
"When the World Cup in Brazil is over, Courtois will be coming straight back to Stamford Bridge – end of story," Mourinho told Spanish newspaper Marca .
Courtois, 22, is currently in Brazil with the Belgian squad who open their World Cup campaign against Algeria on Tuesday.
When asked about a return to Chelsea earlier this week, the 6ft 6in Courtois said he would not be content to being a back up for Cech.
"Do I want to be No1 wherever I play next season? Yes, I think with my age and the performances I had I want to play," he said.
"To be on the bench is not the nicest thing."
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