Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois reportedly prefers to stay in England than move to China in search for a bigger payday playing the game he loves.

Courtois, 24, also said that he is happiest right now since joining the Blues in the summer of 2011 from Genk for a transfer fee of $9 million. The Belgian shot-stopper is at his top form at the moment, leading Chelsea to a season-best 15 goals-allowed after 22 rounds in the Premier League, which includes 13 clean sheets.

Like Us on Facebook

"I have never felt so good since I arrived in Chelsea," said Courtois, as per SkySports. "On the field, I am good, I make the decisive stops when it is necessary. Sometimes I have just one or two to do. Against Hull, it was a little more at the weekend."

"But otherwise, I try to be ready to help the team. My game has improved a lot in the last two seasons," he said. Chelsea is currently on top of the Premier League and could be headed to a sixth English top-flight title which would be their second in the last three years.

The team is eight points ahead of second-place Arsenal with 16 rounds left.Technically, though, Courtois could not transfer to the Chinese Super League even if he wants to unless he wants to switch to a position other than the goalkeeper.

Goalkeepers are prohibited from playing in the China top-flight as the league wanted to give their local goal tenders all the opportunities to fully develop. But Courtois is not thinking about moving anyway. "Some players are more concentrated on what they will do after their football career and want to make sure their lives are financially settled," Courtois said, via the Daily Star.

"I prefer to play in big teams, earn a little less money and win trophies," he added. Courtois spent his first three seasons under Chelsea management on loan to Atletico Madrid. He appeared in 154 games in three seasons for the La Liga side before officially suiting up for the Blues in the 2014-2015 season.

In two-and-a-half seasons, Courtois has had 89 appearances for the Stamford Bridge outfit.

TagsChinese Super League, Chinese Super League rumors, Chinese Super League rumors 2017, Thibaut Courtois, Chelsea FC