Mark Schwarzer signs new one-year deal at Chelsea

Mark Schwarzer joined Chelsea last year after spending five season at cross town rivals Fulham

Chelsea FC announced a surprise signing today when it was confirmed that veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has signed a new one year deal with the club.

It had been expected that Schwarzer would leave the club but the former Australian international, who holds the record number of appearances for his country, will now play for one more season as back-up to the club’s number one.

The interesting question now for Chelsea fans is who Schwarzer, whose new contract was announced on the club’s website, will be playing back-up to, Thibaut Courtois or Petr Cech? Cech has been the undisputed number one since his arrival from Rennes in 2004 but the emergence of Courtois has left his position under threat.

Courtois has been hugely impressive whilst on loan at Atletico Madrid over the past three seasons but now he wants a chance to prove himself as the number one at Stamford Bridge. He has said though that he is not prepared to play second fiddle and given that Schwarzer is unlikely to have wanted to be third choice it could be that it is Cech who will be allowed to leave.

Mark Schwarzer signs a new one-year contract: http://t.co/s65I1MHXCU #CFC

— Chelsea FC (@chelseafc) July 1, 2014