Even so, it still comes as something as a surprise to hear Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane confess he doesn’t know whether he will be in charge next season, as the French icon did Saturday in an attempt to quash transfer speculation.

Over the last few weeks a host of big names, including Paul Pogba, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Robert Lewandowski, Eden Hazard and David De Gea have been tipped to make moves to the Bernabeu.

But Zidane delivered an unexpectedly strong attempt to dismiss the rumours as he said: “I’m not planning anything. I don’t even know what’s going to happen on Sunday, apart from we’re playing a game. I might not even be here in the summer. I can’t tell you anything. I don’t know which role I will have or whether I’ll be here.

“There’s always a lot of talk and that’s normal, but I’m concentrating on the games. We’ll see at the end of the season.”

Zidane’s side will tonight attempt to prolong their faint title hopes by clinching three points with a testing trip to Las Palmas, who have roared out of the relegation zone with three consecutive victories.

Zidane, who is set to rotate his starting line-up, with full-back Danilo, Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez all left out of the squad. added: “The most important thing for us is to make a strong entrance into the game. We know it will be a tough game because they will give everything to damage Real Madrid. But we are well prepared.”

Madrid have responded well to their only defeat under Zidane, the derby loss to Atletico Madrid a fortnight ago, winning their last three games and scoring 12 goals in the process. And although Zidane adm-its that morale has been lifted, he is refusing to believe that his team have turned the corner for good.

He said: “After three wins everything is better – training, the atm-osphere. We’re in a good moment but that doesn’t mean anything. The games coming up will be even more difficult and we have to keep pushing forward.”

Zidane also offered a defence of Rafael Nadal in light of doping allegations against the Spaniard, who is a huge Madrid fan and honorary club member.

The 14-time grand slam champion was accused last week by  former French sports minister Roselyne Bachelot of covering up a failed drugs test in 2012. But Zidane said: “I feel bad for Rafa Nadal because he is a gentleman, a person that has shown the values he has and that everyone loves.”