Real Madrid want Thibaut Courtois to stall on signing a new Chelsea contract until April as the goalkeeper prepares to go head-to-head with another of the Spaniards’ targets, David de Gea.

Chelsea still hope Courtois will sign their world-record contract ­offer that has been on the table since the end of last year and could hold more talks this month.

But the Belgian risks annoying his current employers if he waits too much longer after having all of his demands met.

Courtois and De Gea are high on Real’s list of potential summer ­signings, even though Chelsea and Manchester United are trying to tie their goalkeepers down to new long-term contracts. United have already confirmed they will trigger their option to extend De Gea’s deal to 2020 and offer him fresh terms past that date, while Chelsea have offered Courtois a contract that would make him the best paid goalkeeper in the world on more than £200,000-a-week.

But Courtois is yet to sign and Real want him to stall until April, when they plan to make a decision over which goalkeeper to make their number one summer target.