Espanyol keeper quashes Arsenal transfer talk

Arsenal target Kiko Casilla has ruled out departing Espanyol this summer and says he will not leave the Spanish club on a free transfer next year either.

The Gunners, who are in the market for a back-up goalkeeper after losing Lukasz Fabianski to Swansea City, have monitored Casilla for the past year and were thought to have lined him up as a replacement for the Pole.

Casilla, who came through the ranks at Real Madrid, is out of contract at Espanyol next summer and there were suggestions the La Liga side may cash in on him this year to avoid losing him on a free transfer.

However, the 27-year-old has reassured his club that he will not look to leave for free next year and has expressed his desire to extend his contract.

He told AS: "This summer I will not leave. My first intention is to complete this year that I have left [on my contract] and then to continue for more years. If I leave, I am not going to leave for free. But I do not want to leave."