Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti says he has full confidence in Asier Illarramendi and wants to keep him at the club, despite reports the midfielder is set to move during the January transfer window.
Illarramendi, 24, has been heavily linked with a 20 million-euro move to Athletic Bilbao, with Marca also claiming that Premier League side Arsenal were interested in the all-round midfielder with Madrid reportedly close to signing Brazilian starlet Lucas Silva as a replacement.
However, Illarramendi himself has denied knowing anything about a transfer, and his coach said the 38 million-euro signing from Real Sociedad remained an important member of the first team squad at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
"About Illarramendi there is nothing new," Ancelotti told a news conference on Friday. "He is a Real Madrid player, it is true he has not played much lately, but that does not change my confidence in him, or his importance for the team. So there is nothing new about that."
The Italian admitted that such confidence and importance did not necessarily mean Illarramendi would definitely start in Saturday's La Liga game at Cordoba, even with Isco having joined Luka Modric on Madrid's midfield injury list.
"One of [Sami] Khedira or Illarra will play tomorrow," he said. "For each game we must play just 11 players. It is not that I do not have confidence in those who do not play. I have full confidence in Illarra, I need him, and I will play him in future."
Ancelotti was less forthcoming when asked about current Cruzeiro player Lucas Silva, whose own father has suggested a 13 million-euro move to Madrid was imminent.
"About Lucas Silva I can say nothing, as he is not a Real Madrid player," the Italian said. "I do not want to do that. I must think about the players we have."
Madrid's new Norwegian starlet Martin Odegaard, 16, will not be considered for first team games for the moment, Ancelotti said.
"Martin is a player we wanted a lot, as we think he has a lot of quality," he continued. "He is very young, we are convinced he will be a great player with us. But now we must be relaxed with him.
"He will train with us and play with Castilla. When he is ready to play for the first team we will do that, it could be he gets a chance this year. He will be with us for preseason next year, and we will decide then."
Isco misses the trip to Cordoba with a muscle problem while Pepe and Luka Modric are also absentees, with Ancelotti suggesting that he would not be resting any big names after their lack of Copa del Rey exertions this week.
"Tomorrow the best team will play, we do not need rotations," he said. "We had a week to work, the team is very good. We are just missing Isco, who had a strain against Getafe and has not yet recovered.
"I had almost forgotten what it was like to have a full week to train. Cristiano [Ronaldo] is fine, his physical and medical condition are at the top. He was like that against Getafe, and will be tomorrow."
Ancelotti said he expected a difficult game against Cordoba, who were bottom of La Liga through most of the autumn, but since 2015 began have picked up seven points from three games under recently appointed coach Miroslav Djukovic.
"[Cordoba] have more confidence now," he said. "They have changed coach, and now are on a good run. The atmosphere will be big for this game. But we are used to that. It will be a difficult game where we need, as always, to try and do our best."
A suggestion that Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos was less focused at the moment -- after reports of a breakdown in talks with Blancos president Florentino Perez over a new contract -- were played down as Ancelotti said he was sure the Spain international would remain at the Bernabeu.
"Ramos is always motivated, always concentrated, I see no drop in his level," he added. "He is a player who each day is more key for the team. I do not see him concerned about this issue.
"Everyone at the club knows Sergio Ramos is an indispensable player for Real Madrid. Contract issues are not my job, but we all know that Ramos is one of those players, like Cristiano or Iker Casillas, who should stay here for their whole careers."