Thibaut Courtois Reveals How His Dream Move to Man Utd Was Blocked
Thibaut Courtois, one of the best goalkeepers of his generation, has recently opened up about how close he was to joining Manchester United before his career took a different path. In a candid conversation with Rio Ferdinand, the Real Madrid shot-stopper admitted that he always admired United and had dreamed of playing for the club. However, his potential move to Old Trafford was blocked when United signed David de Gea instead.
Growing up, Courtois idolized Edwin van der Sar and Iker Casillas, following both Real Madrid and Manchester United closely. When he began making a name for himself at Genk, several top European clubs took notice. Tottenham and Chelsea showed strong interest, but it was United that had a special place in his heart. Unfortunately for the Belgian, United had already identified their future number one in David de Gea, signing him from Atletico Madrid in 2011.
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As a result, Courtois ended up moving to Chelsea, who had a long-term plan for his development. The Blues sent him on loan to Atletico Madrid, where he flourished under Diego Simeone, winning La Liga, the Europa League, and the Copa del Rey. That experience was instrumental in shaping him into the world-class goalkeeper he is today.
When he returned to Chelsea in 2014, he faced stiff competition from club legend Petr Cech. However, despite fighting for the number-one spot, Courtois revealed that Cech was incredibly supportive and played a crucial role in his development. “Petr was an unbelievable guy who treated me with so much respect and helped me a lot,” he said. Eventually, Courtois cemented his place as Chelsea’s first-choice keeper, winning two Premier League titles before making a high-profile switch to Real Madrid in 2018.
Looking back, Courtois acknowledges that missing out on a move to United ultimately led him to a path that shaped his career in the best possible way. His time at Atletico helped him grow, his years at Chelsea established him as a top-level keeper, and his move to Madrid allowed him to fulfill his lifelong dream of playing for Los Blancos. With multiple La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies to his name, it’s safe to say things worked out well for the Belgian shot-stopper.
Still, it’s fascinating to think about how different his career could have been had Manchester United chosen him over De Gea. Football is full of these "what if" moments, and Courtois' story is just another example of how a single decision can change the course of a player's career forever.
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