Thibaut Courtois posted a lengthy farewell message to Chelsea fans, but then quickly deleted the post.
Chelsea announced on Wednesday the club had agreed to sell Courtois to Real Madrid, and the stopper will be unveiled officially on Thursday in Madrid.
Courtois angered Chelsea fans when he refused to return to training this week in a bid to force the Blues to sanction his move to Real.
The Belgian pulled the same move when he wanted to join Chelsea from Genk, but Courtois did try to explain himself in a goodbye post to supporters.
'Hello CFC Family,' Courtois began.
'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 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. It was a great honour to be part of the CFC Family.'
Chelsea fans quickly picked up on the Facebook post, but Courtois then decided to delete the heartfelt message.
Perhaps it was the angry responses which prompted Courtois to remove the post, but it may be his switch to Madrid is not yet complete.
Comments