Ever since hot-shot goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made his return to Chelsea this summer after a three-season successful loan spell at Atletico Madrid, a huge doubt has been cast over veteran Petr Cech's future at the club.
Uncontested as the Blues' number 1 custodian over the last 10 seasons, the Czech shot-stopper has found playing time hard to come by at Stamford Bridge, being restricted to Capital One Cup appearances and a few English Premier League outings.
And with speculation of an exit for the 32-year-old on a high, with a switch to Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain being tossed around, Courtois claims he would walk out the door if the tables were turned, whilst insisting Cech is still "one of the best there is".
"As a goalkeeper you want to play. If I was in that situation where I didn't play a lot, then I would leave too," Courtois told Sky Sports in a recent interview. "I think Petr is still a goalkeeper with a lot of quality and one of the best there is."
This statement from the Belgian comes after his Chelsea counterpart made reassuring comments over a London stay. When discussing his future with Jose Mourinho's crew, Petr argued that the team has full say on whether he will remain with the English Premier League leaders, or whether he needs to find a new employer.
“Regarding my future at Chelsea, it depends entirely on the club," Cech said.
“Everyone is asking me what if and what will happen. As a player, who has two years left on his contract, I cannot make the choice.
“It is simple. If the club says, ‘You are staying here’, then I will be staying. That’s why I’m staying.
“I can only leave if the club lets me go. And that is not the case.
“As a player with a two-year contract, I have absolutely no chance of influencing the wishes of the club."
