Albiol plays down PL move

Real Madrid defender Raul Albiol insists he has no intention of leaving the Bernabeu despite reported interest from Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

It looked as though the Spain international had been frozen out of the side by manager Jose Mourinho after failing to appear in Real Madrid's first four games of the season and he has been linked with a January departure.

Mega-rich Malaga are understood to be interested in a deal while there has been past interest from the trio of Premier League clubs.

But the 26-year-old made his first appearance of the campaign on Sunday when he was drafted in for the injured Ricardo Carvalho for the side's 6-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano.

And now Albiol insists that his departure is far from inevitable.

"Nobody has told me I will leave," he told reporters after Sunday's match. "I want to work hard to help the team in any way I can. We have to work hard and stick together because we know the season is very tough.

"I'm happy to be playing again and because we won. I will just try to participate and help any way I can."

Source: TalkSport

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