LONDON - Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois wants Petr Cech to remain at the club, having apparently supplanted him in coach Jose Mourinho's goalkeeping hierarchy.
Chelsea's Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois warms up ahead of the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Chelsea at Turf Moor in Burnley, northwest England on August 18, 2014
Courtois's return from a three-year loan at Atletico Madrid sparked conjecture about which goalkeeper Mourinho would select as his number one, and it was the 22-year old Belgian who started in Monday's 3-1 win at Burnley.
There is now speculation that 32-year-old Cech, who joined Chelsea 10 years ago, may seek to leave Stamford Bridge, but Courtois hopes to benefit from the Czech international's experience.
"I want him to stay. Even if he doesn't play, he can be a lot of help to me in training," Courtois said, in comments published by several British media outlets on Wednesday.
"I can still learn from him because he has a lot of experience. He can give me good tips about the Premier League, things I might not know at the start.
"He is nice to me. We are training very well and he is still proving he is a great goalkeeper.
"For the team it is better for us to have two good goalkeepers. I don't have a problem if he stays. Hopefully I can play well and stay in the team."
Mourinho has declared that he wants Cech to stay and fight for his place.