Atletico keen to make Courtois loan permanent but Chelsea's £20m valuation is too high

By JOHN DRAYTON

Published: 05:10 EST, 18 January 2014 | Updated: 05:10 EST, 18 January 2014

Atletico Madrid would like to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois on a permanent basis but say the asking price would need to come down.

The highly-regarded Belgian stopper is currently on loan at the La Liga joint-leaders and Atletico president Enrique Cerezo claims the Blues want £20million for him.

However, Jose Mourinho has said he wants Courtois to return to Stamford Bridge next season to provide competition for established No 1 Petr Cech.

Permanent: Atletico Madrid would like to sign on-loan Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois on a long-term basis, but President Enrique Cerezo says the £20m valuation is too high

Cerezo said: 'Courtois is incredible on the pitch. We are interested but the price is too much for a keeper.

'We want to try to do business, but it depends on Chelsea. We must study everything.

'But for me it is clear that Courtois now is the best goalkeeper in Europe.'

Reliable: Courtois has kept 10 clean sheets in 19 La Liga matches this season as Atletico challenge Barcelona for the title

That transfer fee would fall far short of the world record for a goalkeeper - the £47.5million Juventus paid Parma for Gianluigi Buffon in 2001.

Courtois has kept 10 clean sheets in 19 league matches so far this season.