Jose happy at Arsenal, says agent

JOSE Antonio Reyes is happy at Arsenal and does not want to leave for Real Madrid, according to his agent.

Jesus Rodriguez de Moya said yesterday he did not meet Gunners vice-chairman David Dein to discuss how much clubs would have to pay for Reyes, 21.

"These reports coming out of Spain are simply not true," said Moya.

"Jose Antonio is happy at Arsenal and he has a contract with the club for a very long time to come. This speculation is going to have to stop."

Spanish newspaper Marca reported that Rodriguez met Dein this week to discuss the price Real Madrid would have to pay for Reyes.

Arsenal paid £17m for Reyes' services from Sevilla last season, and his former manager there, Joaquin Caparros, is one of those convinced the forward will sign for Real.

"Reyes has the profile to play for Real Madrid," he said. "He has a lot of quality and I see him in the short term at Real Madrid."

Meanwhile Real Madrid could step in to sign Ashley Cole from Arsenal as an investigation into the alleged 'tapping-up' affair may have put paid to a move to Chelsea.

It has been claimed Cole was unhappy with a £5,000-per-week pay rise offered to him as part of a new five-year deal by Arsenal last summer which would have taken his weekly wage to around £30,000 and that prompted him to look elsewhere.

Real Madrid have long been linked with Cole and though nothing has materialised so far, talk of a switch to join countrymen David Beckham, Michael Owen and Jonathan Woodgate continue to gather pace.

Money is no object for either side but with Roberto Carlos in the twilight of his career, Madrid are on the look-out for a replacement.

Real Madrid chairman Florentino Perez has backed Jonathan Woodgate to play a major role at the heart of his team's defence for years to come.

The £13.4m acquisition, who was bought to form a new centre-back partnership at Madrid alongside fellow summer signing Walter Samuel, has been ruled out of action for the rest of the campaign because of a long-term thigh problem.

But Perez is optimistic over his chances of being fit to take his place in the Madrid line-up at the beginning of next season.

"I am convinced he will be a great defender for Real Madrid," said the Meringues supremo.

"I think there was a misinterpretation of his injury," he added. "We had information that did not later correspond to the reality, but we are facing up to that."