Thibaut Courtois, the Chelsea goalkeeper, is set to pledge his long-term future to the club by signing a lucrative new five-year deal.
The 22-year-old, who had spent the previous three years on loan at Atletico Madrid, has supplanted Petr Cech as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper this season.
Courtois, who helped Atletico win the La Liga title and reach the Champions League final last season, is expected to earn around £80,000 a week.
Courtois arrived from Genk, the Belgian side, in 2011 and has two years remaining on his current contract but is expected to sign when he returns from international duty with Belgium next week.
“It’s not yet signed,” Courtois told Sky Sports. “I am here with the national team so it is difficult, but when I am back at Chelsea I will probably sign the new contract.”
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Courtois has started each of Chelsea’s three Barclays Premier League games this season after replacing Cech, the man who has been a regular in goal since arriving from Rennes in 2004.
Cech had been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge with both Real Madrid and Paris Saint- Germain reportedly keeping an eye on the Czech Republic international.
The 32-year-old has stayed to fight for his place at Stamford Bridge but Courtois says the relationship between the two men has not suffered despite the decision taken by Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager.
“We don’t talk about the situation, but of course I know he has played ten years at Chelsea and that now I am playing and for him it’s not the nicest situation,” Courtois added.
“But that is the decision of the board and the trainer. He is working hard in training to be ready when I cannot play or I am maybe not playing well. We work well together.
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“Of course as a professional and a winner you always want to play every game, so we will see what the decision is of the coach. But of course I am a professional player and I want to play every game that is possible.”