Thibaut Courtois immediately had second thoughts about his farewell message to Chelsea supporters.
Courtois posted a lengthy message to Facebook just moments after his move to Real Madrid was confirmed on Wednesday night, thanking Blues fans for their backing throughout his seven-year association with the club.
The Belgian goalkeeper has signed a six-year contract with Real Madrid and will join for a fee of around £35 million. As part of the deal, midfielder Mateo Kovacic will head to Stamford Bridge on a season-long loan.
However, the manner in which Courtois forced his move to the Santiago Bernabeu hasn’t sat well with supporters as the shot-stopper refused to report for Chelsea training two days in a row.
And fans let Courtois know all about their feelings towards him before the below message was promptly deleted, presumably due to the sheer volume of abuse he was receiving.
“Hello CFC Family,” Courtois wrote. “With these few words I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the four fantastic years that have passed. Chelsea FC will always have a special place in my heart.
“I was only nineteen years old when the club showed a great belief in my abilities. The fact that such a big club was already following me was like a dream come true. The decision to first send me away helped me to grow into a goalkeeper fit for Chelsea FC.
“When I returned, I was very happy to be part of one of the biggest teams in the world. I fulfilled a childhood dream playing in the Premier League, therefore I am really proud that we were able to win two Premier League titles, a League Cup and an FA cup!
“A huge thank you to all my teammates and technical staff over the past four years who I shared this success and amazing moments with, both on and off the pitch.
“The team would never be successful without the help of all the other members who are devoted to the players and the club, such as the medical department, kit men and all the others who I can’t thank separately!
“Last but not least I want to thank the fans for their great support over the years. I hope you understand that being closer to my kids was considerable in my decision. I wish you all the best for the future. It was a great honour to be part of the CFC Family.”
