A host of Premier League clubsare set to miss out on transfer target James Rodriguez after Real Madrid stated their intent not to sell him in January.
The Premier League quartet ofManchester United, Chelsea, Arsenaland Tottenham Hotspurhad harboured ambitions of landing the Colombia international when the winter transfer window opens in 12 days time, but the defending Champions League holders have put paid to those plans after insisting that Rodriguez was not for sale.
Spanish radio station Cadena SER claims that, despite Rodriguez's growing frustrations over a lack of regular game time under Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane, the club is not looking to cash in on the player that they signed for around £64m in July 2014 - a stance that will leave his English suitorsdisappointed.
United boss Mourinho had hoped to entice Rodriguez to Old Trafford in January, with first-team football and the chance to help push the Red Devils back into the top tier of England's elite offering much in the way of a challenge for the 25-year-old.
Una más�!! Campeones del mundo. pic.twitter.com/dv0xO9IKHi
Tottenham, meanwhile, were due to contest United for Rodriguez's signature as they looked to bolster their own title challenge following last season's late capitulation that handed Leicester City and unprecedented first top flight title.
With Spurs' new ground taking shape, however, it would have remained to be seen if Pochettino would have been allowed the funds to make the big-money move for Rodriguez.
Premier League table toppers Chelsea had also been linked with a potential swoop for Rodriguez, but those rumours have cooled in recent weeks after Antonio Conte guided the Blues to an 11-match winning run that has catapulted them into first place in the table.
The claim comes just days after Rodriguez contradicted his own comments about being "happy" to remain at the Bernabeu in spite of being handed so few opportunities to impress Zidane so far this term.
He had told Marca on December 16: When you want to play at a club like Real Madrid, you always have to know that it's a team that wants to win titles, and is used to winning titles.
"I am happy here. I hope I can play the final and add yet another title. I hope to continue doing good things.�
James Rodriguez admits he has offers to leave Real Madrid and, for the first time, refuses to commit his future to the club. #LaLiga
However, in the wake of Real's Club World Cup win over Kashima Antlers, he also told reporters that he had been inundated with offers from other clubs, stating that he had "seven days to think about his future".
His comments led to an angry response from Real captain Sergio Ramos after the 4-2 win in Japan, who criticised his team mate for picking the wrong time to talk about "personal issues".
Former Monaco star Rodriguez has made just 16 appearances for Real so far in 2016/17, with only eight of those coming in La Liga.
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