To think he can pull all this off at the age of 22. Think of how amazing he'll be in 6 years! And this video is still missing a lot more of his amazing saves. Like his triple save vs Betis for example.

I definitely would let him start for us right now, even if it means Cech will have to go (;_;).

@Ven: And in addition, when Chelsea bought Cech, they had Cudicini.

Cudcini was, quite decidedly, not one of the greatest goalkeepers in the world, when his happened. :p

@Lodatz: This debate isn't going anywhere. All you're opinions on Courtois are based on the videos you've seen of him on YouTube which don't show much because he's not known as much as Cech, Neuer, Buffon or Casillas and that makes them look much better in videos because of their fame. You asked how many times have I seen Courtois in a match. I'd say over 30 matches, including some matches for the Belgian national team.

"Please explain, because when Courtois has been hailed as the best keeper in Spain, and his saves are what you'd expect from at least 6 or 7 goalkeepers in the PL (such as, say: Vorm, Krul, Lloris, De Gea, Cech, Jaaskeleinen and Hart), it doesn't seem like there's much to argue about."

You think it's that easy to be the best keeper in Spain? So if that were the chase then the likes of Vorm, Krul, Hart, and Jaaskeleinen would all have a nice shot at winning it. Like I said, you seem to be judging Courtois just from the videos on YouTube, which lack a lot of his best moments because of him not being in a big team.

"Seemed like one. Still doesn't change the fact that Cech's looks better, even at the ripe old age he's at."

Ripe old age? Cech's in his prime while Courtois still has 8 years of developing left. And if Courtois is already this close to being as good as Cech then I think it's safe to say you go for the younger player with more years ahead.

"Well, for a start, yes they did. Secondly, he came in (and was bought) off the back of a simply stupendous Euro 2004 performance, where he won goalkeeper of the tournament."

Yes they did. Well that goes to show you that you shouldn't just doubt a GK playing in the EPL until you see him play some games there. He came off a great Euro 2004 performance but Courtois has also been performing amazingly for the past 3 years at Atletico becoming one of the top 5 best keepers in the world and La Liga's GK of the season (according to a recent poll). Isn't that enough evidence to show he'd shine immediately just like Cech did?

"Well, for one thing, in Peter Schmeichel you're talking about probably the greatest goalkeeper of the entire modern era, and Edwin Vn Der Sar had been considered one of Europe's top goalkeepers for years before joining United (CL winner at Ajax, long spell at Juventus) and had actually already been bedded into the Premier League at Fulham, first."

But before that title of 'Greatest GK of the Modern Era', Schmeichel was an unknown Dane with not much experience outside of the Danish League and Van Der Sar had a good stint with Ajax but was horrible with Juventus.

"You're attacking arguments which have not been made. I simply said that Cech is still better, and is still clearly the better choice for Chelsea."

But the problem with that is you haven't seen much of Courtois. You think Cech is still better and I agree but only slightly better. He's not better than Courtois to be able to keep the GK spot. He's Chelsea's number one prospect and if it means pushing aside Cech then I'd gladly do it for Chelsea's next generation.

Finally, saying even Mignolet is playing better than Courtois just puts the icing on the cake for me. There's no way you've seen enough of Courtois if you say something like that. Mignolet is a great keeper but Courtois is still better and that's why he starts for the Belgian NT.

I suggest you read this: http://www.squawka.com/news/2014/01/16/more-clean-sheets-than-neuer/2014011655409

@Lodatz: You mean Cudicini who won Premier League GK of the season back in 2002/03? And the one who helped lead us to the QF in the CL in 2003/04 but got injured and because of that we were eliminated by Monaco?

If Chelsea let Cech leave, it'll be like Van der Sar all over again. Goalkeepers are in their prime till 35. If Chelsea can keep loaning Courtois to top level teams until cech is 35, then they should do it without hesitation.

I don't know what Mourinho had in mind to let Courtouis loan when they need him...

No way Mignolet is better now than Courtois, he started season great but then made a lot of mistakes.

@Ven:

" This debate isn't going anywhere."

• Correct, and it's because you say things like this:

"All you're opinions on Courtois are based on the videos you've seen of him on YouTube which don't show much because he's not known as much as Cech, Neuer, Buffon or Casillas "

That's absolute bullshit. You can find hours upon hours of footage of damn near every player, nowadays, especially the one who Chelsea fans are treating as though he's the next Schmeichel, and who plays in a league where bopyright is not enforced anywhere near as harshly as in the PL. There is pobably more footage of Courtois out there right now than any other goalkeeper, so, please don't try and cop this nonsense.

And either way: it makes no difference. YOU have to show something which proves your case. YOU have only offered this one YouTube video, and you did it because YOU felt that it showed he was better than Cech. I only found one Cech video to show otherwise. It was pretty easy. You can't hide behind "You've only watched YouTube" when YouTube is the entire body of evidence you're using in the first place.

Let's face it: we live in the age where EVERY single young hotshot is considered the new 'best in the world', because we live in an age where damn near everything is available on the internet, footage-wise. The internet, and YouTube, are pretty much the main reasons why anyone, including yourself, is calling Courtois better than Cech in the first place.

THAT's why we're going in circles. You keep disavowing the only means by which you've actually argued your case, because I found a video of Cech being better. :p

"You think it's that easy to be the best keeper in Spain? "

• It's not a question of 'easy', it's a question of what IS. Who else is he competing against? Pinto? Come on, V-man, this is a poor, poor line of argument, and you know better.

*"*which lack a lot of his best moments because of him not being in a big team."

Again, that's bullshit. Courtois is the most celebrated young keeper in the world, behind maybe Neuer. There are hundreds of videos of him, doing all manner of things. YOU have yet to show anythign which makes him look better than Cech. That's on YOU. Until you do so, I don't see what there is to argue about, because we all have 'opinions'. I could tell you that MIchael Dawson is better than Pique, and that the only reason you can't see it is because no-one makes as many videos about him. Are you going to buy that?

No? Then stop using this argument, because it's terrible.

"Ripe old age? Cech's in his prime while Courtois still has 8 years of developing left."

• EXACTLY WHY YOU DON'T WANT TO GET RID OF CECH YET.

"And if Courtois is already this close to being as good as Cech then I think it's safe to say you go for the younger player with more years ahead."

Except... he's not that close. You're just claiming that he is. Here's where we return to Square 1.

"He came off a great Euro 2004 performance but Courtois has also been performing amazingly for the past 3 years at Atletico becoming one of the top 5 best keepers in the world and La Liga's GK of the season"

• Except he's NOT one of the best 5 keepers in the world. Good grief, man. Seriously?

THIS is the problem, right here. You would not be claiming this about him if he were not Chelsea's player. But because he is, and because you're all excited about the future, you've elevated him in your mind to this status where he's already as god as Cech, and one of the best 5 in the world, and blah blah blah.

It's just not true, mate. :p

"But the problem with that is you haven't seen much of Courtois."

So SHOW ME. Just like I did with Mignolet. There are hundreds of videos out there of Courtois, and you could always make your own, right? So SHOW ME, or else stop making this argument, because right now, you have nothing to stand on.

I showed a video of Simon Mignolet making better saves than Courtois. Until you produce ANYTHING other than your opinion, that pretty much stands.

I'm off to work. Enjoy your day.

@Lodatz

This video is 10 months old, so it's missing a LOT of brilliant saves. An no, it is rather difficult to find even a decent video of Courtois' best saves on YouTube. And please don't go on saying things like "Courtois has been hailed as the best keeper in Spain, and his saves are what you\'d expect from at least 6 or 7 goalkeepers in the PL (such as, say: Vorm, Krul, Lloris, De Gea, Cech, Jaaskeleinen and Hart), it doesn\'t seem like there\'s much to argue about.". He competes with Iker Casillas, Diego Lopez, Victor Valdes, Claudo Bravo, and Andres Fernandez. All great keepers. I understand if you say that the EPL is a better league than La Liga, but to ridicule La Liga players is rather disrespectful of you.

Courtois is being extremely overrated in this forum. He is no where near as good as the veterans but he is the best for his age. Cech is the best in England, and it will be like that for another few years. Even if Courtois replaces him he won't be the best in England. Lloris is a better keeper, it can even be argued that De Gea is also better. Courtois isn't even the best keeper in Spain, not even top 3. Casillas, Lopez, Valdes are all better than him. I feel like people overrate him too much just because how good he is for his age. Yeah he had a long clean sheet record that is cool but he is not good enough for a top level team such as Chelsea. He is not ready for that pressure that the top teams bring.
Chelsea are in a tough situation right now because loaning him out again will upset Courtois. All I can say is that pushing out Cech after this season would be the wrong move because he still has a lot more to offer. Goalkeepers aren't like outfield players. They can still be a little old and play like they're in their prime.

Tdot he is overrated because everyone ere thinks they know everything and even more than the actual managers that devote their entire life to the sport. Guess Fifa and PES also greatly influenced how people rate players to some degree.

Both keepers are great and Chelsea have to manage to keep a hold of both. But it's inevitable that they won't. Cech is growing old while Courtois keeps improving season after season. Atletico will do everything in their power to keep him but ultimately will fail do to Chelsea not wanting to sell him. Cech is basically a leged there and his reward should be to retire at the club and not be forced out the door.

@Lodatz: Mignolet better than Courtois ???
@tdot2barca: Lloris is a better keeper ???

I always wonder how much time u have dudes.

Cech is a Beast! It would be a gamble to sell Cech and bring in Courtois as he is not yet tested in BPL. Cech will have no problems in finding a new club. Only question is if Chelsea will regret the decision to let him go..