Morata should fight for his shirt- Courtois

THIBAUT COURTOIS has warned Alvaro Morata he faces a battle with Michy Batshuayi to be Chelsea’s No1 striker.

Morata has been snapped up in a club record £65million deal from Real Madrid but Batshuayi has played in pre-season. Courtois said: “Michy knows that in pre-season he is the first option. Alvaro is coming in now but he has to adapt to our system, so maybe Michy has a slight advantage.

“Michy is a good striker so if he keeps scoring there is no reason to change.

“A new player always has to fit into the team. It’s good that Morata is coming in obviously. “He has to do well obviously.

“He’s been training with Real Madrid and maybe he will be able to play against Bayern or Inter.

“That’s good because he needs to feel our way of playing because it’s different to Real Madrid.”

Morata is set to make his debut against Bayern Munich is Singapore tomorrow, with Antonio Conte likely to bring him off the bench. Batshuayi scored twice against Arsenal at the weekend and Belgium team-mate Courtois says he is getting to grips with Conte’s methods.

He said: “With Diego scoring a lot of goals last season he didn’t get a lot of chances.

“Maybe he didn’t always do what the manager asked and he is very demanding when it comes to the strikers as well.

“He knows that Diego is leaving and he has a chance to prove himself.

“He is training well, doing what the manager asks and is scoring goals. “For him it’s good. He needs to show that mentality every day in training and in every game.

“Michy is a top striker, he showed that in Marseille and with the national team.

“He has shown with the few minutes he’s had at Chelsea, he has always done well. I hope he can build on that. It’s good that after scoring two against Fulham, he got another two against Arsenal.” Batshuayi netted the goal that sealed the Premier League title last season – but it was a rare moment to saviour in his first season after joining from Marseille.

Courtois added: “Michy always believes in himself. That goal didn't change him.

“It was an important goal for the club and for himself. He will always be remembered as the guy that gave us the title against West Brom. It will always be special for him.

“I don't think it gave him more confidence because he is the kind of guy who believes he belongs in the squad. He works hard in training, he never complains and that is a good aspect.” 

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