Chelsea have rejected an offer from Real Madrid for Thibaut Courtois.

The Daily Express says Courtois could be forced to stay at Chelsea after they rejected Real Madrid's £31million offer for the goalkeeper.

Courtois has told friends he is desperate for the move to Real to go through but Chelsea feel the price they are being offered for one of the best goalkeepers in the world is derisively low, even though he has only one year remaining on his contract.

But crucially, Chelsea have been unable to line up a top-class replacement for Courtois and they refuse to sell unless they can do so.

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia has been in frequent contact with Real in a bid to get the Spanish club to raise their offer.

However, the key issue that remains is a replacement for Courtois.