Robinho in no hurry to join European club

BRAZILIAN striker Robinho has insisted he wants to stay with Santos rather than move to Europe, despite reported interest from Chelsea and Real Madrid.

The youngster has been linked with a big-money move for around a year and speculation over a transfer intensified when his mother was released after being kidnapped in November.

But the 20-year-old said: "I'm not interested in what people say. I want to stay at Santos when the time comes to leave, everyone will know about it."

Robinho has a price tag of around £14m on his head, and had suggested that Spain was his preferred destination.

Rumours of a move to Madrid increased after former Santos boss Wanderley Luxembourgo left to take over at the Bernabeu over Christmas.

Robinho has already won the Brazilian championship twice with Santos and helped them reach the final of the 2003 Copa Libertadores.