Matteo Darmian has insisted that he is not interested in leaving Manchester United this month.
The defender has been linked with a return to Serie A after a difficult debut season at Old Trafford, with Italian publication Calcio Gazzetta claiming interest from Juventus in a loan move.
However, the 26-year-old has said that he is happy at United and focusing only on improving.
“I am happy here with the team, the staff and the city,” Sky Sports quotes him as saying. “I am happy here so I just try to ignore the rumours. I want to continue on my way and that’s it.
“I think the manager is happy with my progress and when I train I try to improve day by day. And when the manager gives me a chance I try to do my best and to help the team.”
The Red Devils signed Darmian from Torino for £12.7m in the summer – fee reported by BBC Sport – and he initially made a good impression in what had been a problematic right-back role.
But injuries to Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia have increased the pressure and workload on the Italian international, and he has suffered from being shifted around the back four by Louis van Gaal.
Darmian played 90 minutes on Saturday as United edged past League One side Sheffield United in the third round of the FA Cup, which they have not won since 2004, with a 1-0 home victory.
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