Petr Cech Committed to Fighting for Place at Chelsea

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has warned team-mate Thibaut Courtois he is ready to fight for the No.1 jersey at Stamford Bridge after committing his future to the Blues.

Manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed Courtois will return to west London and joust with Cech for a regularly starting role this term.

Having enjoyed a stellar three seasons on loan at Atletico Madrid, where he has won the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, the Europa League and reached the Champions League final, Courtois is expected to begin the campaign as first choice.

But Cech has no plans to roll over under pressure from Courtois and told Ekipa2:"I'm staying at Chelsea, that for sure.

"I really don't mind that there are two great keepers at Chelsea. That motivates me ever more.

"You always have to fight if you want to be on great level. And there is not only Courtois and me, even Matej Delac is showing that he is great keeper."

Despite such an confident declaration, Cech's future has been made all the more complex by the recent return of Didier Drogba, which means Chelsea are overstocked in terms of overseas players ahead of the new Premier League season.

Mourinho is restricted to naming 17 overseas-based players in his 25-man Premier League squad however Drogba's return means he must omit a high-profile player to be within the regulations.

The future of Cech, striker Fernando Torres and midfielder John Obi Mikel is now under heavy scrutiny following the move and Mourinho has confirmed one player will have to be sold this summer.

"From the group you are expecting us to have as a squad, I have to send one away because we have one extra foreign player," Mourinho said.

"So from all these players, if you think all of them have to stay, you are wrong. One of them has to go."