Thibaut Courtois Unwilling to be Understudy to Petr Cech at Chelsea

Thibaut Courtois has been advised to leave Chelsea if he wishes to secure regular first-team football.

Courtois is currently spending a third successive season on loan at Atletico Madrid since joining the Blues from Genk in 2011.

The Belgian international has never played a professional game for Chelsea and with Petr Cech, 31, showing few signs of letting up Courtois faces a long wait to become the first-choice goalkeeper at Stamford Bridge.

International team-mate Toby Alderweireld has urged Courtois to consider his career away from Chelsea, after claiming the 21 year old will not be happy returning to west London as anything but first choice.

"He is very smart and I think it would be a good choice for him to maybe stay with Atletico, or go to another club where he will be number one," Alderweireld told Sky Sports.

"He does not want to sit on the bench [at Chelsea] for eight games then play for one.

"I don't think he has a weak point and I think he can be the best 'keeper in the world. He is good with the ball, he is good with his feet and he is great on his line.

"I see him in training every day and I see him in games and I doubt there are any 'keepers better than him."

Courtois' prowess for Atletico Madrid helped his club to the Copa del Rey last season and saw him collect the Zamora trophy, awarded to the 'keeper with the lowest goals to game ratio in La Liga.

Having played in all of Belgium's World Cup qualifiers, Courtois will travel to Brazil next summer as the No.1 but his future at Chelsea remains in some doubt.

Barcelona have been linked with making Courtois the replacement for Victor Valdes, who is expected to leave the club at the end of the season, but the youngster will likely be overlooked.