Chelsea pick up bonus year option on Caballero contract — report

Wilfredo Caballero, Chelsea's current number two in goal and heir to the Hilario dynasty, has confirmed in an interview with Goal's Nizaar Kinsella that he will be staying at Chelsea for at least one more season. The 36-year-old reportedly signed a one-year contract last summer, but the club must have picked up the bonus-year option on his contract at some point in the past two months.

Caballero, who’s set to compete for the Argentina job at next month’s World Cup, is happy to stay after a 13-appearance season that also earned him his international debut just a couple months ago.

“I think I am in good form, I don’t know if it’s the best or not. But this form and my experience means I am in a very good team and I am in the national team, so I am very happy.”

Before the World Cup however there is still one game to play for Chelsea and it’s a big one, the FA Cup final. It was Caballero who got us this far in the competition, but he understands if Conte chooses to go with Courtois instead.

“Yes, of course, it’s the final, everyone wants to play, and I won the other cup [League Cup] with Man City, so hopefully God will be with us again and I can lift the cup with Chelsea.

“I have played in every game. But, for the final, we will see. I have to train very well. But we will see what the starting XI is that Antonio chooses to play in the final and they have to be ready.

“It doesn’t have to be fair - it’s the decision of the boss. And I have to respect what he chooses for this game. There is not an agreement. As I say, when I started I knew that I would start in the cups. I always train so I am ready to play, I want to play.”

-Willy Caballero; source: Goal

That sort of attitude is precisely why Chelsea made a good decision to bring him in as the replacement for Asmir Begovic last summer.

Think of big Willy what you will, but the Argentinian veteran is most certainly a capable backup to Courtois. England's best Mr. Clean impersonator may be prone to an error now and again, most recently in the game against Huddersfield (though I'm still convinced that most referees would've called the foul in favour of Caballero — cheers, Lee Mason), but any club will have a very hard time securing a second goalkeeper who never makes a mistake; that's simply more wishful thinking than anything else.

Also, Caballero's always a great option for cup games thanks to his knack of heroically saving penalties!

Anyway, great to have Big Willy staying on board, whatever happens on Saturday.