Courtois on course for December return

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois says his rehabilitation from a knee injury is going to plan and he should be back in action in December.

The Belgian international, 23, was sent off on the opening day of the season and then suffered a major setback in September when he tore the meniscus in his right knee during training.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho warned that Courtois would be out for “quite a long time” as it was revealed that he would need to undergo surgery.

Speaking after Belgium’s Euro 2016 qualifying win over Israel on Tuesday, the former Genk and Atletico Madrid player said his recovery has been going well.

“In terms of my knee, it’s good,” Courtois told reporters. “I’m doing my rehabilitation and it’s progressing well.

“From tomorrow [Wednesday], I’ll be starting the bulk of the work with my physio to come back as soon as possible.

“Of course I still have to be careful not to go too quickly. I should be back in December, all being well.”

Although Chelsea only picked up four points in the three league games Courtois featured in this season, the defending Premier League champions have struggled even more in his absence.

Former Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, 28, has deputised since the injury. Chelsea have conceded 11 goals in the five league games the Bosnia-Herzegovina international has started this campaign and they have also lost three of those matches.

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