Thibaut Courtois has done nothing to quell rumours that he will be joining Real Madrid in the summer after revealing his “heart is in Madrid” and his “personal situation could affect” his decision should they come calling.

Chelsea are hopeful that the Belgian will sign a new deal despite interest from the Champions League holders and he is set to start talks later this month, with his current contract expiring at the end of next season.

The Blues are desperate to keep the 25-year-old but given Real’s frustrations in negotiating with Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea mean they are likely to target Courtois instead.

Who could replace Antonio Conte at Chelsea? Show all 5 1 /5 Who could replace Antonio Conte at Chelsea? Who could replace Antonio Conte at Chelsea? Luis Enrique The former Barcelona manager is the bookies’ favourite to take the job should Conte get sacked after deciding to take a year-long sabbatical from the game last April. Enrique won the Champions League and two league and cup doubles but decided he needed a break. Could Chelsea persuade him to cut his time away from the game short? A summer approach could be more welcomed. Getty Who could replace Antonio Conte at Chelsea? Guus Hiddink Who else would Chelsea turn to for a mid-season replacement other than Hiddink? He has done it twice before… Roman Abramovich could make it three times as a stop gap before getting someone more permanent in the summer. The Dutchman hasn’t managed since leaving the Blues after Jose Mourinho’s sacking in 2015. AFP/Getty Images Who could replace Antonio Conte at Chelsea? Massimiliano Allegri Allegri has replaced Conte before – at Juventus in 2014 – and he could be set to do it again this time around if Chelsea decide to switch before the end of the season. Italian sport daily Corriere dello Sport reported that he had already agreed a deal in principle to take over having taken Juve to two Champions League finals. It would be difficult to get him before the end of the current season, however. Getty Images Who could replace Antonio Conte at Chelsea? Diego Simeone A similar style to Conte in his confrontational touchline antics, but is understood to prefer a move to Italy with his heart set on managing Inter Milan. Simeone has been constantly linked with a move to the Premier League and his time with Atletico Madrid looks like it was coming to an end last summer only for him to sign a new two-year deal last September. AFP Who could replace Antonio Conte at Chelsea? Marco Silva An outside choice but Silva is very highly rating the game despite being relegated by Hull and sacked by Watford. Manchester United are keeping tabs on the Portuguese who has been compared with Mourinho on more than one occasion. Silva would be free to join immediately and without paying a king’s ransom for, but is a risky appointment really what Abramovich wants right now? Getty Images

Courtois lived in Madrid for three years between 2011 and 2014 when on loan at Atletico Madrid and his two children still live there with his ex-girlfriend, leaving him to admit he the prospect of moving back to the Spanish capital was an attractive one.

“If Real is really interested, my personal situation could affect, yes,” he said in an interview with Belgian magazine Sport. “The family aspect, it is priceless. But I repeat to you that, for the moment, I'm busy talking to Chelsea to extend.

“My personal situation is related to the city of Madrid, it's known. My two children live there with their mum. I have my daughter every day on Facetime. She often tells me that I miss her. 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 want me, they have to contact Chelsea. We'll see. But they never did it. What is certain is that I will one day return to Madrid. We agreed to meet (with Chelsea) again in February because the club had more urgent issues to deal with in January.