Chelsea will let Thibaut Courtois leave for free in 2019 rather than sell to Real Madrid for hefty transfer fee next summer

CHELSEA will let keeper Thibaut Courtois leave for FREE instead of selling him this summer.

The Belgium stopper is in a stalemate over extending his contract beyond the end of next season, when he can leave without a transfer fee.

And the Premier League champions are willing to let him run down his contract rather than cash in early.

Real Madrid are interested in the 25-year-old as a long-term successor to Keylor Navas at the Bernabeu.

Courtois played for rivals Atletico Madrid on loan for three seasons and returning to the Spanish capital as No 1 for Real is considered a dream move for keepers.

David De Gea is also on their radar and Manchester United understand the appeal of Real to Spanish players.

But they also have an option to extend De Gea’s contract to 2020, so he effectively has two more seasons on his deal in the eyes of United’s top brass.

Courtois’ discussions over a new deal have stalled and he does not expect them to resume until the end of the season, when he will have one campaign left.

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De Gea was in sensational form on Saturday as United closed the gap on Man City with a 3-1 win at Arsenal.

The shot-stopper pulled off a number of dramatic saves throughout the 90 minutes, leading to Jose Mourinho hailing him as the world’s best No 1.