Thibaut Courtois re-confirms interest in returning to Spain, sooner or later

Thibaut Courtois's contract situation has become a major talking point in the Chelsea world, as the goalkeeper has just 18 months left on the deal he signed after returning to the club in 2014 from his three-year stay at Atlético.

That long-term Atlético loan and subsequent reintegration into the first-team has been of the greatest successes of Chelsea’s loan policy, though it’s also ensured that Courtois retains strong ties to the region — Fàbregas has called him an honorary Spaniard — including two children who live their with their mother.

Courtois has made no secret over the last couple years of his desires to eventually return to Madrid, though he’s never put a specific timeline to it. But in an interview with Spanish radio station La Sexta, the 25-year-old has hinted that it may be sooner rather than later.

"Everybody knows that due to my personal situation, Spain attracts me. If it is not now, it will be in some years."

A lot of that timing will depend on the contract talks with Chelsea as well as any new or old interest from either of the Madrid giants. Both Real and Atlético may be keen on him as they may need to (or want to) seek replacements for Keylor Navas and Jan Oblak, respectively. Real’s desire to upgrade Navas with either Courtois or Manchester United’s David De Gea has been an open secret for some time, while Oblak’s £89m release clause is something that PSG are apparently thinking about activating.

That said, Courtois’s official stand regarding his Chelsea contract talks is that he’s simply waiting until the end of the season so he can focus on the football until then.

"No, I'm calm. I'm happy at Chelsea. I just want to wait [over contract talks] because now there are many games and I prefer to have my head focused on that."

-Thibaut Courtois; source: LaSexta via Evening Standard

Focused!

Hmm...