Real Madrid Transfer News: Zinedine Zidane Dismisses January Exit Rumours

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has rubbished reports the club is looking to sell players in January, ruling out any departures and saying Los Blancos haven't discussed any potential arrivals, either.

The European champions have been a frequent topic of transfer speculation, and Catalan gossip website Diario Gol (via Jacob Murtagh in the Mirror) recently published a bold report stating Real want to offload a host of players in 2018.

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Lucas Vazquez and Dani Ceballos were marked as potential January departures, with the likes of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric following in the summer. Zidane has dimissed any reports of January exits, however, per the Daily Express' Joe Short:

"January transfers? There definitely won’t be any outgoings.

"As for incomings, anything can happen so we’ll see, but we’re not talking about ins and outs right now."

The report specifically noted recent rumours regarding Manchester United forward Anthony Martial. According to Steve Bates at the Sunday Mirror, Los Blancos are eyeing the Frenchman in an £80 million move, albeit in the summer.

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Bale has been a constant presence in transfer speculation due to his inability to stay healthy and sinking reputation in the Spanish capital. The notoriously fickle Spanish press appears to have turned on the Welshman, leading to a multitude of reports involving a Premier League return.

His injury problems have been well-documented, and as shared by Sky Bet, Real haven't been able to consistently count on the former Tottenham Hotspur man in a long time:

Players of his calibre rarely move in the January window, however―the likes of Vazquez and Ceballos, neither of whom has played all that much this season, would have been more realistic targets for clubs.

Martial would be a shock target for the La Liga giants, given the fact the 21-year-old has struggled to earn a regular starting spot at Old Trafford. The former AS Monaco man ranks as a top talent, but he has fallen somewhat short of expectations since his dazzling debut season in England.

Despite the lack of minutes―he has made more Premier League appearances off the bench than he has started―he ranks among the team's most prolific options in front of goal:

Real have worked hard at getting younger over the years, but they tend to find high-upside talent like Ceballos and Marco Asensio before their value explodes. Signing a player deemed not good enough to automatically start for United at a huge fee of £80 million would be out of character for Los Blancos.