• Premier League

Laudrup rules out Madrid switch

ESPN staff
February 25, 2013
Michael Laudrup has emerged as a top managerial target after Swansea's successes this season © PA Photos
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Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup admits he is flattered to have been picked as a potential replacement for Jose Mourinho as Real Madrid coach by the club's fans, but is intent on honouring his contract with the Capital One Cup winners.

The former Madrid and Barcelona star emerged as the overwhelming favourite to succeed Mourinho, who is expected to leave the Spanish giants this summer, with 73% of fans polled by AS opting for the Dane ahead of Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti and Chelsea interim manager Rafa Benitez.

But Laudrup, fresh from guiding Swansea to their first major silverware with a 5-0 win over Bradford City, is already in talks to extend the two-year deal he signed with the club when he arrived in 2012 and insists he is not interested in leaving the Liberty Stadium this summer.

"To be in front of two huge names like Rafa Benitez and Carlo Ancelotti - both have won league titles in Italy and Spain and the Champions League - I'm very grateful," Laudrup told Sky Sports News.

"I have been part of this football club [Real Madrid] since the beginning of the 1980s. I know it's like that, I know that probably have a lot of questions about this from now until the end of the season.

"But I can't really say anything more. There will always be rumours - at this time it's positive rumours about one club or another. I can only sustain what I said before: my intention is to stay here. One more year [on my] contract, and that's it."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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