Courtois Admits He Hopes Hazard Will Join Him at Real Madrid & Claims He Never Kissed Another Badge

As if he hadn’t already done enough to anger the Chelsea fanbase, Belgian keeper Thibaut Courtois has used his first press conference as a Real Madrid player to suggest that the Eden Hazard should join him at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup’s Golden Glove winner has moved in acrimonious circumstances, ?joining Los Blancos for a reported £35m on ?Premier League Deadline Day, and is now urging compatriot Hazard to join him.

The pair are good friends and had previously intimated that they would renew their deals with Chelsea as long as the other extended. However, with Courtois now gone and with Hazard obviously tempted by the Spanish giants, there are still question marks over the winger’s future despite his commitment to the Blues for the coming season.

As quoted by Goal writer Nizaar Kinsella, the keeper has admitted that he would love reuniting with his former teammate in Madrid colours.

“He [Hazard] is very happy that I am here, he is a great player and I would like to be always at his side,” Kinsella tweeted. “Let’s see what happens in the future, if he can come, it would be fantastic.”

However sensational the move, the keeper insists he has not been guaranteed the number one spot and doesn’t know what number he will be wearing as yet.

Courtois, who spent time on loan with Real’s rivals ?Atletico Madrid, is also being slammed by both Chelsea and Atleti fans for kissing the Madrid badge during his unveiling but has defended himself by saying it’s his first time kissing a badge, in a further snub to his former clubs.

“I’ve never kissed the badge before, but I’ve done it here today because this is where I’ve always wanted to be,” he told reporters, via The Spanish Football Podcast 

The Belgium international has pleaded with the Blues support to understand that he wanted to be closer to his kids in Spain.

“Chelsea will always have a special place in my heart,” he said in a ?Facebook video posted on Wednesday. “I want to thank the fans for their great support.”I hope you understand that being close to my kids was considerable in my decision.”

Courtois’ move has seen the Blues land Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic on loan from Madrid. They have also replaced him with former Athletic Bilbao stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is now the world’s most expensive keeper ever after joining for £71m.

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