Guangzhou Evergrande Coach Marcello Lippi has denied that he has been lined up to replace Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid in January.
Speculation is rife that Mourinho may leave the Bernabeu before the end of the season, as his relationships with key figures within the club are strained and the team is 16 points in deficit of Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
Lippi, who won the Champions League with Juventus and the World Cup with Italy, had been touted as a potential successor, but insists he is content at Evergrande, who he recently led to the Chinese League title.
“Joining Real Madrid at [Zinedine] Zidane’s advice? It’s not true,” he declared in conversation with Italian radio station Kiss Kiss. “Not that I dislike being linked with a big club like Real, but there is nothing concrete.
“I read what was said about [President] Florentino Perez and Zidane in the papers, but I have two more years of contract in Guangzhou and I feel good there from all points of view. It hasn’t happened yet, but if there was a call, I’m still under contract.”
