Real Madrid Transfer News: Zinedine Zidane Talks James Rodriguez, Marco Asensio

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has insisted he wants James Rodriguez to remain at the club despite the Colombian enduring a tough 2015-16 season and being consistently linked with a move away from the Bernabeu.

The Frenchman said he hoped to give Rodriguez more opportunities in the upcoming 2016-17 season than he did last term as Real won the UEFA Champions League and came second in La Liga, per Sky Sports:

"

I do not want him to leave, he is a Madrid player, he just wants to play more, but you have to do what he is doing and work.

I hope to play him more this year, but I want everyone to give the maximum, and then I decide every game.

And I have 25 players, so I do not have anything against James, people always ask me the same. James is well in Madrid.

"

James, 25, made only 17 starts in La Liga last season, 12 fewer than he did in his debut season in 2014-15 under manager Carlo Ancelotti following his £63 million move from Monaco.

He still made an impact, netting seven goals and providing eight assists, per WhoScored.com, but he was left out of many of Zidane's starting lineups in key matches and did not play a minute of the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid.

Per Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe, he will have huge competition for a starting spot in the 2016-17 term with Zidane likely to have to alter his formation to make room for him:

His lack of game time and a reportedly fractious relationship with Zidane has spawned a number of rumours linking him with a move away from Real, per Eurosport's Miguel Delaney.

Paris Saint-Germain have been touted as one of his most prominent suitors, per Yahoo Sport France (via French football writer Jonathan Johnson).

Meanwhile, it was recently reported that Marco Asensio's emergence in pre-season would require one of James or Isco to be moved on to make way for him in the first team, per AS.

Asensio, 20, spent a successful 2015-16 on loan at Espanyol and has been one of Los Blancos' best players in their pre-season matches in the United States. 

There were reports that he could be loaned out again, but Zidane has now confirmed the young Spaniard will stay at the Bernabeu, per Marca (via Football Espana):

"

Marco is a Madrid player, and the idea I have is that he is in the group, because that is also what the player wants. But this is what we are talking about because there’s a lot to talk about with all the players. Until [August 31] anything can happen.

"

For the Mirror's Ed Malyon, Asensio is fully deserving of his chance to break into the Real team:

However, Zidane will have a tough task to keep James, Asensio and Isco all happy with the amount of game time they are given in the coming term.