Real Madrid Transfer News: Iker Casillas Dismisses Exit Rumours

The past year may have been filled with ups and downs for Iker Casillas, but the longtime Real Madrid goalkeeper has no intention of leaving the club anytime soon.

As reported by Marca's Jose Felix Diaz, the Spain international addressed rumours he could leave the club on a transfer, and while he didn't shy away from admitting the past year came with some rough patches, he still believes he had his best year:

"

It's been my best year. Four titles and I played in all of them, it doesn't get much better than that. I can't forget those things just because I had a bad six weeks.

[...] Let's take things one step at a time. I'm under contract and have no reason to think about leaving.

"

The 33-year-old won the UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup double with Los Blancos this year but looked shaky at best in the latter stages of the quest for La Decima, and his showing at the 2014 World Cup was a downright disaster.

His performance against the Netherlands was so bad MLSsoccer.com's Matt Doyle and Jesse Marsch even wondered whether he'd ever play in the World Cup again:

The veteran bounced back, however, beating out Keylor Navas for the starting role with Los Blancos and anchoring the back line as Real won 23 straight matches.

While clean sheets are hardly a proper measure of a stopper's worth—as it has as much to do with the defenders playing in front of him and the opposition he faces—it's still telling Casillas beat out a number of talented other stoppers this season, via OptaJose:

Many wondered what the future would have in store for the veteran after Real acquired Navas during the summer, and with rumours continuing to link former Atletico Madrid star David de Gea to Los Blancos, those questions only intensified.

As shared by Goal UK, suggestions that the Champions League holders are willing to break the transfer record for the Manchester United man surfaced as recently as last week:

Casillas' recent form silenced those rumours a bit, however, and his latest comments should make them stop altogether. The World Cup winner is back to his old self, making incredible saves look routine and serving as a spiritual leader for one of the best teams in the world.

Real's victory in the Club World Cup final means Casillas is now the only captain ever to win the eight major trophies, according to the Spanish national team's official Twitter account:

Greatness like that won't be passed over if a player suffers a slump. Casillas is the captain, a youth product of Los Blancos who has never played for a different club. San Iker is a fan favourite and a club legend who most expect will retire in the Spanish capital.

Unless the veteran has a public falling-out with the club, a transfer away from Real makes little sense. Even if—or rather, when—old age catches up and his eventual replacement arrives, it makes sense for Casillas to end his career in Madrid, as a dressing-room leader and the kind of contributor the youngsters look up to.

But with regards to his immediate future, there's little to discuss. Casillas wants to play out his contract and continue the run of success he and the club have had, putting rumours of a potential split to bed once and for all.

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