Thibaut Courtois has added fuel to fire on speculation surrounding his links with Real Madrid by admitting his ‘heart is in Madrid’.

In an interview with Sport/Foot Magazine, Thibaut Courtois has affirmed that he will return to Madrid one day, possibly giving Real Madrid a spring in their step in pursuit of the Belgian goalkeeper. Courtois, though, has also admitted that talks are underway with Chelsea over a renewal.

Courtois has seen his stock skyrocket over the last half a decade or so, having played pivotal roles first during his three-year loan spell at Atletico Madrid and subsequently for Chelsea. What has well and truly seen Courtois establish himself as one of the best is that while the Blues may have been inconsistent, his levels have remained high.

This season too, Courtois is in the running to win the Golden Glove, having kept 12 clean sheets in 25 Premier League outings thus far. But, his future at Chelsea has been under a cloud for a while now, with just 18 months remaining on his current deal with the club and Real Madrid reportedly interested.

Los Blancos have been perennially linked with a gamut of top goalkeepers across Europe over the last few years, with Keylor Navas struggling for top form, especially in the last couple of seasons. His deputy Kiko Casilla hasn’t shown the traits to become a Real Madrid number one, making a goalkeeper a top priority.

What seems to be helping Real Madrid’s case in their pursuit of Courtois is the shot stopper’s own desire to return to the Spanish capital. And in the interview with the Sport/Foot Magazine, the 25-year-old has admitted that his “heart is in Madrid”, and that he would like to return to the city one day, while also pointing towards the Real Madrid rumours.

“My personal situation is related to the city of Madrid. My two children live there with their mum. I have my daughter every day on FaceTime. She often tells me that she misses me. My son is still too small to communicate like that.”

“Whenever I have the opportunity, I try to make a return trip to Spain. As a situation, it is not always easy. Yes, my heart is in Madrid. It is logical and understandable. If they [Real Madrid] want me, they have to contact Chelsea. We’ll see. But they have not done that. What is certain is that one day I will return to Madrid.”

But, Courtois also went on to add that he is already in talks with Chelsea and that he is focused on performing well for the Blues, keeping the speculation on the back burner for now.

“I understand that the rumours are coming back today, as we are talking about a new goalkeeper there [at Real]. But I do not pay much attention to that, I stay focused on Chelsea. If Real are really interested, my personal situation could influence things. But I repeat to you that, for the moment, I’m busy talking to Chelsea to extend.”

The news will be bittersweet for Chelsea fans. While the Blues’ attempts to tie Courtois down to a new deal could come to fruition soon, it is clear that he is unlikely to hesitate in moving to the Spanish capital, if Real Madrid come calling. It now remains to be seen how things develop, but a switch to the Bernabeu may happen soon.

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