Reports surface claiming Barcelona saw bids rejected for Chelsea duo Petr Cech and Thibaut Courtois

Barcelona failed to sign Cech and Courtois?

Barcelona made failed bids for Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech and then Thibaut Courtois, it has emerged.

In an attempt to replace the departing Victor Valdes, the Spanish giants made the Blues duo their primary target, according to the Express. However, the Premier League club rejected both advances and instead Barcelona turned to Marc-Andre ter Stegen from Borussia Mönchengladbach, who they signed last month.

The paper reports that Barcelona contacted officials at Stamford Bridge about the possibility of taking Courtois, who has spent the last three seasons in La Liga with Atletico Madrid, on loan for the 2014/15 campaign. That proposal was rebuffed and so Barca asked about the availability of Cech, though again Chelsea turned down their approach.

Jose Mourinho has claimed that Courtois will be part of his squad next season but it remains to be seen whether the young Belgian will be the first choice or back-up for Cech.

Barcelona, meanwhile, have since brought in Marc-André ter Stegen for a fee believed to be in the region of £10 million on a five-year contract. The 22-year-old didn’t make Germany’s World Cup squad but is a highly-rated ‘keeper. He’ll replace Valdes as Barcelona’s number one after the Spaniard decided against renewing his contract at the Nou Camp, brining his twelve year stay to an end.