Courtois reiterates Chelsea allegiance amid Real Madrid links, Costa comments

Chelsea shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois has pledged his future to the Premier League table-topper, despite links with a return to Madrid.

The Belgian international enjoyed a three-year spell on loan with Atletico Madrid, and with Keylor Navas' Real Madrid tenure the topic of speculation, Courtois has been associated with a move to Los Blancos.

Courtois said talk of a La Liga switch is hogwash, despite comments from Blues teammate Diego Costa that the rangy shot-stopper and Chelsea star Eden Hazard should consider a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

"Thibaut loves Spain, his family lives there. He is happy here, but you never know," Costa told Cadena COPE, courtesy of FourFourTwo.

"Real Madrid want the best goalkeepers and Courtois is one of them. He has a contract here and it would be a shame if he left."

With Navas' stock dropping amid an erratic campaign and Madrid president Florentino Perez known for knee-jerk reactions, Courtois said Tuesday that he is happy at Chelsea.

"No (I'm not planning on a transfer). I am enjoying the success here and I am focused," Courtois told the Evening Standard's Simon Johnson.

Success indeed, after a key save on Manchester United's Marcus Rashford helped the Blues maintain a narrow one-goal advantage during Monday's FA Cup quarter-final victory was just the latest highlight of a stellar season.

"I feel good and am having a very good season. This was a game where I didn't have a save to make until that moment, I was just passing it from the back. You have to be ready and I was for that moment. It was a crucial save," the Genk academy product added.

His 13 clean sheets this campaign are a Premier League best and three better than peers Hugo Lloris and David De Gea, and with a 10-point gap over Tottenham with 11 matches to play, he appears poised for a fourth league title in eight seasons.

Considering that, Real may fancy looking elsewhere for its latest reactionary buy.