Chelsea summon Thibaut Courtois to disciplinary meeting as keeper snubs training again

CHELSEA have ordered Thibaut Courtois to attend a disciplinary meeting this week after he failed to show for training for a second day.

Courtois has opted not to report back for pre-season training after the World Cup as he attempts to force through his dream move to Real Madrid.

He failed to show up for a planned meeting with manager Maurizio Sarri on Monday as the player and club reached a stand-off over his future at Stamford Bridge.

And the 26-year-old was again missing this morning, deciding to stay in Belgium rather than join his team-mates at the club's Cobham training ground.

Now Chelsea have decided to open disciplinary proceedings against the stopper, who has made it clear he wants out this summer.

They have scheduled a meeting for lunchtime on Wednesday and asked Courtois to attend, as they look to punish him with a possible fine of up to a maximum two weeks wages.

The Belgian international, voted the best keeper at the World Cup, told Sarri last week that he did not want to sign the new deal on offer from Chelsea and wanted to quit this month.

The Italian is then understood to have told the keeper that he does not want him round his squad if he has anything less than total commitment to the club.

Real have put what they consider to be a fair bid on the table, understood to be in excess of £35million, but the Blues have so far refused to do business.

SunSport understands they are looking for the European champions to pay as much as £50m, even though the Courtois is out of contract next summer and will be a free agent.

Until late last week Chelsea believed they could persuaded Courtois to sign a new long-term contract with the club - but he has told them the decision is not about money but instead about his desire to live near his young children.

With Courtois remaining in Belgium instead of returning to London, that message now looks to have finally got through the the Blues board, who have belatedly started to step up their interest in finding a replacement before the transfer window closes on Thursday.

Stoke's England keeper Jack Butland has emerged as a leading candidate to come in, with a deal around £25m in the pipeline.

But Chelsea have also shown a late interest in Athletic Bilbao's highly-rated young stopper Kepa - who at one stage looked to be on the way to Real himself earlier in the year.