Thibaut Courtois 'happy' at Chelsea but 'keeper plans to return to Spain due to 'personal situation'

Thibaut Courtois remains "happy" at Chelsea but the Belgium international has admitted that sooner rather than later he will return to Spain due to "personal" reasons.

The 25-year-old goalkeeper has been linked with a move to Real Madrid since impressing in La Liga during a three-season loan stint at Atletico Madrid.

In June, Courtois' agent Christophe Henrotay revealed that he was in regular contact with the Champions League winners with Zinedine Zidane said to be on the hunt for a world class number one to replace Keylor Navas.

"Of course Thibaut is of interest to the big clubs, including the last Champions League winners," Henrotay told Belgium's Sport Magazine. "He is someone who helps you makes you win games and titles. I regularly meet the directors of Real Madrid and of course, Thibaut's case has come up. It is my role to keep him updated on the situation."

Manchester United's David De Gea was also said to be on Real's radar but recent reports in Spain have claimed that Los Blancos won't sign either of the Premier League 'keepers and will instead turn their attention to Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao.

Courtois' long-term future at Chelsea remains uncertain with the stopper having put on hold the club's attempts to extend his contract.

Earlier this week Evening Standard said that Courtois is currently earning £100,000 a week and in May turned down an offer from Chelsea said to worth below the £200,000 weekly wage he wanted.

The report added that the reasons behind Courtois' reluctance to sign a new deal was not only about money but due to his family situation.

The Chelsea keeper has two young children who live in Madrid and the Blues feared that Courtois could reject a new deal even if they agree to meet his wage demands.

Courtois has now all but confirmed those concerns during an interview with La Sexta.

Asked whether he is waiting for an offer from Real Madrid to sign a new deal with the Blues, the keeper said: "No, I'm calm. I'm happy at Chelsea. I just want to wait [for the new deal] because now there are many games and I prefer to have my head focused"

Pressed about if he is interested in returning to Spain, Courtois added: "Everybody knows that due to my personal situation Spain attracts me. If it is not now, it will be in a few years."

Courtois' comments will be a major blow for Antonio Conte with the Chelsea boss recently urging the club to sort out the situation and labelled him 'the best 'keeper in the world'

"I like to give my opinion about technical decisions. It is important for the club to face this issue, to face this contract with Courtois," Conte said, as quoted by the Guardian. "I think that Thibaut didn't need my opinion. He knows very well what my thoughts about him are."

"For sure I can tell that Courtois is one of the best, maybe the best goalkeeper in the world, and he is a player who is very important for Chelsea. I can tell this. But for sure the renewal is a task for the club.

"If a big player decides to not sign a new contract it is difficult for a club to try to avoid this issue," Conte explained.