Real Madrid star Angel Di Maria is not interested in being a makeweight in a deal to sign Gareth Bale from Tottenham.
The Spanish club are struggling to agree a fee for Bale as Spurs chairman Daniel Levy values him at £100million.
Time is running out for Madrid — who still owe Spurs money for the £33m deal that took Luka Modric to the Spanish capital last year — to raise the funds to sign the Wales international.
Di Maria has been linked with a switch as part of a player-plus cash exchange, but the Argentina international insists he is going nowhere.
He said: “I’m staying in Madrid, because I have three years left on his contract and I’m very happy here. Also in (coach Carlo Ancelotti’s) selection, I have been playing more frequently in the middle. I’m used to and I feel comfortable playing there.”
Madrid trio Fabio Coentrao, Alvaro Morata and Jese Rodriguez have also been mentioned as possible candidates to be sent to Tottenham in an attempt to lower the asking price.
But speaking after the end of their pre-season tour to the USA at the weekend, Ancelotti said he wanted to keep his squad together.
“No player is in a position to leave,” said the former Chelsea manager. “I’m very happy with the team. Why talk about Bale if Morata and Jese have played really well?
“Coentrao is thinking about leaving, but I’d be happy if he stayed because he’s a cracking player. Being at Madrid isn’t so bad.”
As expected, Bale didn’t feature in Spurs’ friendly draw against Espanyol on Saturday and attention will now focus on whether he will play for Wales against the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday.
Bale has been selected by coach Chris Coleman despite being injured for the past four weeks with a strained buttock and a minor foot injury.
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Meanwhile, Spurs are believed to have agreed a fee with Dinamo Zagreb for midfielder Alen Halilovic for the second time this summer.
Tottenham thought they had succeeded in a £17.1m double swoop for Halilovic and Tin Jedvaj earlier in the window only for the latter to switch to Roma instead.
Halilovic, who has been labelled the next Luka Modric in Croatia, has still to agree personal terms and it is believed the 17-year-old’s family will also need to take some convincing that he is ready to move to north London.
It is likely he will spend this season on loan at Zagreb, but his family’s concerns played a part in the move breaking down earlier this summer.
