Oscar leaves Chelsea for Shanghai SIPG, but he won’t be joined by Thibaut Courtois because foreign goalkeepers are banned

PREMIER LEAGUE clubs are bracing themselves for a big money Chinese raid on some of their top players in January.

But they can at least sleep easy knowing that their goalkeepers won't be following the likes of Oscar to the Far East.

That's because the Chinese Super League has a long-term ban on any foreign goalkeepers playing in the competition.

The logic of this ban is simple, and very sensible.

China's football authorities believe that getting outfield players to play alongside the biggest stars in the world will massively improve the level of football in the country.

But when it comes to goalkeepers, there is only one position available in each team.

While local players would be able to learn from the best foreign stoppers in training, they need to be playing competitively to fulfil their potential.

The policy, which was introduced in 2001, has so far been a success.

Goalkeeping has gone from being one of China's biggest weaknesses to its greatest strength.

Guangzhou Evergrande's Zeng Cheng, for example, was instrumental in the club's Asian Champions League triumph in 2015.

Despite the astronomical wages paid out to foreign stars, China is surprisingly restrictive on the number of imports allowed in their teams.

Each club can register just four foreign players and include only three in matchday squads.

China's restriction on foreign goalkeepers means the Premier League, as Europe's highest-paying league, should be able to keep hold of the world's best talent between the sticks for years to come.

Although Thibaut Courtois may be an exception, as he has reportedly already told friends and family that he will leave Chelsea for Real Madrid in the summer.