Courtios Riles Chelsea Fans With Comments Wooing Hazard To Join Him At Madrid During Unveiling

Thibaut Courtois kissed the Real Madrid badge and then spoke about Eden Hazard joining him at the Santiago Bernabeu one day, before doing his best to diffuse bad feeling with his former club Chelsea.

‘He is happy that I have arrived because he knew it was my dream,’ he said revealing Hazard had called him to congratulate him.

He then added: ‘He is a great player and if he could come here one day it would be fantastic.’

None of that will have done relations with his former supporters much good but when asked if he had a final message for them the 26-year-old Belgium international said: ‘I know at the moment they are not too happy [with me] but I hope remember what was achieved.

‘I want to thank them for the years I was there. It was my goal to win a Premier League and I won it twice so I’m really proud of that. I just felt I needed a new challenge.’

He was also asked about another former club Atletico Madrid and the suggestion he might have moved back there.

He said: ‘My objective was to come here. I have maximum respect for Atletico but now I’m at a club that I have always wanted to be at. I don’t think I’ve ever kissed a badge before.’

He did have to apologise to Real Madrid fans for a song he sung about the club when he was at Atletico.

Asked about singing anti-Real Madrid songs on the balcony of Madrid’s town hall during celebrations of Atletico Madrid’s Copa del Rey final victory over Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid in 2013, he said: ‘I have apologised and I apologise again. It was something you do when you are young.’

‘I was more a kid in my last spell in Madrid. I am more mature now, more of an adult. I won two leagues with Chelsea and that has helped me to grow up.’

Courtois had surprised Real Madrid supporters inside the Santiago Bernabeu to watch his presentation when he said he had always been a Madrid fan. Asked to elaborate he said: ‘There is always one club that strikes you when you are young and for me it was this club because of the goalkeeper they had. Madrid played Anderlecht in 2002 and I was 10 and I had an Iker [Casillas] jersey.

‘He was 18 when he started playing for the team and he coped with all that pressure. I was the same because I started at Genk when I was 17 and 18 at Atletico Madrid.’

Courtois said his Belguim team-mate Hazard has congratulated him on his move. The two had seemed destined to move together this summer but Chelsea priced the midfielder out of Real Madrid’s reach.

‘I had a lot of offers and I have had better offers financially but once Madrid came in there were no doubts for me,’ added Courtois.

He was not given the number one shirt during the presentation but he said he has no problem competing with Keylor Navas who says he will not leave Real Madrid this summer instead vowing to stay and fight for his place.

Courtois said: ‘No one needs to give me guarantees that would be a mistake because I have to show that I’m the best one to play. No club I have been at has given those guarantees.

‘When I arrived at Chelsea I had to replace Petr Cech. Goalkeepers are friends in the dressing room. They form their own group. I have come to compete with the other keepers here and help Madrid compete.

‘I still don’t know what number I will take. The club will decide which number. The most important thing for me is to be here.’

Courtois had earlier called Real Madrid ‘the best club in the world’ as he was presented to reporters by president Florentino Perez.

The 26-year-old also paid tribute to the mother of his two children and was joined by them on the stage with club president Florentino Perez.

‘Arriving at the best club in the world makes me very happy. I have always given my best and will continue to do that,’ Courtois said.

‘I dreamed of this moment when I was a kid. I have been a rival player here. Now I’m one of yours and I cant wait to wear the badge. Thanks to the president, my representatives, and my children and their mother. Even though we are not together she is still very important to me.’

AND IT’S NOT JUST CHELSEA FANS WHO ARE ANNOYED BY THE MOVE