Report: Real Madrid Deny Interest in Chelsea Star, Blame Agent for Leaking False Information

What's the story?

La Liga side Real Madrid have denied an interest in signing Chelsea forward Willian, according to AS. The club have also reached out to the Premier League club to inform them that they were not chasing the Brazilian star's signature.

Reports in England had claimed that Real Madrid were looking to sign both Thibaut Courtois and Willian for €110m.

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Willian had been the subject of bids from Barcelona which were all rejected by the Stamford Bridge club. The 29-year-old was a target for the Catalan club but couldn't prise him away from London despite going as high as £55m in their bids.

Once Barcelona signed Malcom from Bordeaux for £37m, they cooled their interest in Willian and that is when the reports of Real Madrid offering to bring him to La Liga surfaced in the media.

Heart of the Matter

According to the report, Real Madrid were quick to inform the Blues that they had no interest in signing Willian as they did not want to anger the English club and throw a spanner in the works as they try to sign Courtois.

Real Madrid set the record straight to avoid complications in a potential deal for Courtois

The Belgian goalkeeper has only a year left on his contract at Chelsea and the Blues are resigned to selling him rather than lose him for free next summer. A fee in the region of £31m could see Courtois leave.

The Spanish club believes it is Willian's agent who is planting stories in the press in a bid to get him away from Chelsea, thereby pocketing a cut from a potentially high transfer fee.

Video: Willian's goals for Chelsea

What's next?

Courtois will most likely be sold when Chelsea find an able replacement. That is all that is keeping the deal from going through at the moment.

With respect to Willian, his agent is still actively looking to seal a move away from Chelsea. Manchester United have also reportedly failed in their bid to bring him to Old Trafford.

But with a contract that runs until 2020, clubs will have to pay through their nose if they are to get him, as evidenced by the rejection of high bids from Barcelona.