Three potential replacements for Thibaut Courtois at Chelsea

Thibaut Courtois has been the subject of mass speculation over the past few months regarding his future and it has now being reported that the Belgian will not sign a new deal at Stamford Bridge beyond next summer.

In this piece, we take a look into the potential replacements who could fill his spot if he were to depart west London for pastures new in the future.

#3 Jack Butland

Butland in action against Swansea during Stoke's final Premier League game of the season

Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland is one of the first among several names who could replace Courtois between the sticks for Chelsea. Despite just being relegated with the Potters to the Championship, the 25-year-old has shown his capabilities this year - even though there have been some howlers in there too, most notably against Leicester City.

The Blues have had a long-standing interest in the Englishman, and his desire to leave the club could strengthen following their failure to survive in England's top-tier.

Butland would cost Chelsea a British transfer record for a goalkeeper, as it is understood that Stoke would hold out for no less than £30m, which is relatively small for a club of the Blues' stature in today's market.

In 77 Premier League appearances to date, he has kept 20 clean sheets which is a statistic that doesn't make for bad reading considering the circumstances. He also made the most saves of all goalkeepers last term, with 144 in total.

#2 Jan Oblak

Oblak in training ahead of their UEFA Europa League final against Marseille in midweek

The Slovenian is regarded as one of the world's best goalkeepers currently, and if the Blues managed to secure the services of Oblak, it would be a major coup, showing a real statement of intent to their rivals.

Courtois was previously at Atletico Madrid, however it was understood he favours a move to local rivals Real, to link up with Zinedine Zidane so any potential swap deal would be extremely unlikely.

However a battle for the 25-year-old would prove worthy for the Premier League outfit, as he kept 22 clean sheets for Atleti this term in 36 league appearances, a record that is quite astonishing. But understandably, it will come at a cost as Oblak is valued at €80m and it's uncertain whether the Blues would be prepared to splash that amount of cash on a goalkeeper.

Oblak's world-class quality has been proven in recent seasons but Chelsea's failure to qualify for Champions League football next year might be a turn off - ultimately everyone wants to play among Europe's elite.

#1 Gianluigi Donnarumma

Donnarumma has kept 21 clean sheets in 52 appearances (all comps) this term

The Italian is one of the finest young talents to grace the footballing world. Despite being only 19-years-old, he has already cemented himself as the first-choice at Serie A giants AC Milan.

Having made his breakthrough two seasons ago, the only way is up for Donnarumma. His future on the international scene is equally bright, expected to succeed Gianluigi Buffon for years to come.

His professional career has only just begun and he definitely has the potential to become a top goalkeeper in years to come, which would benefit Chelsea in the long run if they were to sign him.

Any move could become slightly easier from the Blues' perspective, as his future remains uncertain as some supporters have voiced their discontent at a perceived sense of greed stemming from Mino Raiola's comments last summer, while others feel the poor individual display in their Coppa Italia Final defeat could leave the door open for a possible switch this summer.

Despite early success Antonio Conte has not worked out at Stamford Bridge, but could Donnarumma turn into the next Gianfranco Zola or Roberto di Matteo in west London if he opts for a move? Only time will tell.