According to reports in The Times, the negotiations between Chelsea and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois have stalled over his £200,000-a-week demands.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Blues stopper currently has two years left on his current deal – which is worth around £100,000-a-week, but he believes he deserves a pay rise after helping the club win the Premier League title by keeping the highest number of clean sheets in the division.

Courtois is aware that Manchester United stopper David De Gea earns around £200,000-a-week while his Belgian teammate Eden Hazard is the top earner at Stamford Bridge on the same amount.

Does he deserve it?

Considering he kept 16 shutouts and conceded just 28 goals in 36 Premier League appearances, you would probably say he does.

While the likes of Hazard and Diego Costa were hugely influential from an attacking point of view, the 25-year-old continues to put in mature performances between the sticks and helped the Blues pick up as many wins as they did last term.

He has already established himself as one of the best in his position in the English top flight.

Chelsea don’t agree, though?

They don’t seem to at the moment, no.

But of course with contract talks, the player will start high and the club will start low with the two sides usually meeting somewhere in the middle.

Does the news put his future into doubt?

The story in The Times suggest that no further talks are scheduled which means that he could begin the new season on his current deal, but with two years remaining on his contract Chelsea won’t be panicking just yet.

With Asmir Begovic already leaving for Bournemouth there is little chance that they will let Courtois leave as well this summer, despite the stopper being regularly linked with a return to Spain with Real Madrid.

What’s the verdict, then?

Well, even though the contract talks have stalled the club and the supporters won’t be worrying too much as there is still plenty of time to tie Courtois down to a new deal.

If it gets to this time next year and there is still no agreement then there is every chance that the Belgian could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge.

http://video.footballfancast.com/video-2015/conte-costa.mp4