Chelsea should drop Petr Cech for Thibaut Courtois: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Thibaut Courtois

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has called upon Chelsea to give Thibaut Courtois the number one jersey at Stamford Bridge – at the expense of long-term servant Petr Cech.

Courtois has spent the past three seasons on loan at Atletico Madrid where he has emerged as one of the finest young goalkeepers in world football currently and the Belgian is keen to have his future resolved permanently this summer as he looks to choose between a switch back to his parent club, or signing on at Atletico again.

Petr Cech endured a tough night as Chelsea slumped to a first leg defeat in their Champions League quarter-final tie with Paris St Germain and Hasselbaink believes now is the time for Cech to step aside and make way for his younger competitor.

The former Chelsea striker told reporters, “Next year, for Chelsea, it’s going to be very difficult to loan him out again. It’s going to be you play him or sell him.

“I’d put the best in. That’s Courtois. Very simple. When Petr Cech first came to this country he was the best, but after his head injury he’s not really had the level he had before.

“Don’t get me wrong, he’s done really well. But this is a different class for me.

“Courtois is, with the goalkeeper of Bayern Munich, Manuel Neuer, the best goalkeeper around at the moment.

“He started at Genk, where all of a sudden he got a chance and saved them, won the league for them on his own and from there he’s kept on going.

“The only thing I want to see of him, is can he play? In modern football now the goalkeeper has to play a little bit from the back. Can he play a pass? That’s not Atletico’s type of tactics, but if he wants to be really complete, he will need to add that to his game.”

Thibaut Courtois has made 2.58 saves per goal he has conceded for Atletico Madrid this season. Petr Cech makes 2.13 saves per concession for Chelsea.