Courtois posts, deletes farewell message as he hopes for understanding from Chelsea fans

Thibaut Courtois is on his way to Real Madrid and while the move will not be official until tomorrow, after all the contracts are signed and medical tests completed, he’s already posted a farewell message on social media to the club and the fans. (Or maybe the post just jumped the gun?)

While the general reaction to his late-window development has been overwhelmingly negative (thanks mostly to the way he went about it, holding out and refusing to train after saying things all summer to the contrary), Courtois kept it nice and professional in his message.

Hello CFC Family

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 my to go 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 title, a League Cup and a 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 successfull 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.

-Thibaut Courtois; source: Facebook via @HLNinEngeland

Unfortunately, that message was deleted about 30 minutes later for reasons unknown at this point.

In any case, let us remember the good times.