Chelsea prepare huge bid for goalkeeper to replace outgoing Thibaut Courtois

They face some tough competition in the race to sign him

Chelsea are set for a tough summer. Eden Hazard looks set to leave the club in search of Champions League football, with Real Madrid his most likely destination. Thibaut Courtois could be heading the same way too, with Madrid reportedly interested in signing the Belgian goalkeeper. Real Madrid were previously reported to have identified Roma's Alisson as their number one target to replace Keylor Navas between the sticks, but Chelsea have entered the race for the Brazilian keeper and are supposedly willing to pay €70m for him. This development could see Real Madrid turn towards Courtois, whom Chelsea are evidently willing to let go if they are lining up a bid for Alisson. This could be the start of a long merry-go-round of goalkeepers in this summer's transfer window. If Brazil go deep in the World Cup, it's likely that Roma will raise their asking price, given the amount of hype that will surround Alisson. Chelsea will therefore hope to get a deal wrapped up as soon as possible, although that can be tough during a summer tournament. The transfer will close earlier than usual this year for Premier League clubs, after the teams voted to close it before the season started, leaving themselves only three weeks after the World Cup final to wrap up any deals.