Why Thibaut Courtois Is a Dispensible Commodity in Chelsea’s Rebuild

Rebuild. It’s the buzzword that’s already defining Chelsea’s immediate future, and we’ve yet to finish the current campaign. For Antonio Conte to sufficiently follow through on that mandate, the Italian’s going to need money—plenty of it.

This Chelsea squad may be—for the next few days at least—reigning Premier League champions, but they haven’t looked like it at all this season. They were struggling even before a ball was kicked in anger, failing to win a single game in pre-season.

A lack of quality and depth has been Chelsea’s undoing. Other factors have contributed to their demise, yet an overreliance on a few key players has been telling.

Without Diego Costa and Eden Hazard at their best for stages this season, Chelsea have looked devoid of inspiration and ideas. They’ve crumbled without them and are now paying the price.

Conte’s task at Chelsea this summer will be to ensure those players are given more support in numbers. Chelsea’s new boss needs to revitalise this squad by investing in creative talent, in the process continuing what Guus Hiddink has started in blooding more youth.

It’s why crazy rumours of record-breaking transfer fees make Thibaut Courtois a disposable commodity in all of it.

With his position among the world’s leading goalkeepers, it seems an equally ludicrous suggestion, yet Chelsea stand to gain so much more without Courtois than if they fight to keep him at Stamford Bridge.

If Real Madrid offer Chelsea anything resembling the £79 million quoted in …

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