Real Madrid star Rodrygo appeared to hit back at speculation that he is gearing up to leave the Spanish giants with a pointed message shared on social media.
The Brazil international is enduring a rare dip in form that has seen him sidelined by outgoing head coach Carlo Ancelotti, with Turkish midfielder Arda Guler increasingly preferred in midfield.
With tensions mounting, Rodrygo is believed to have opted not to feature in Sunday's El Clasico amid reports that Real Madrid is considering letting the player leave in the summer for the right fee.
Mail Sport reported on Tuesday that Rodrygo is also believed to be struggling with the arrivals of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe - last season and this campaign respectively - with the player thought to feel 'displaced' by Ancelotti's tactical reshuffle with the France captain's arrival.
Real Madrid seem destined not to lift major silverware this season after the weekend's result against Barcelona all but confirmed LaLiga for their loathed rivals.
But Rodrygo was keen to waft away speculation on Wednesday afternoon as he posted a picture of himself in a hyperbaric oxygen recovery chamber.
'Thanks for all the messages and concerns,' Rodrygo wrote. 'I'll be back soon. (prayer hands emoji).
'Stop creating things (face palm emoji).'
Rodrygo's social media message comes 24 hours after the wife of one of his team-mates, Federico Valverde, came to his defence online amid the maelstrom surrounding his exclusion.
'Nobody knows the battles that go on behind a player, they are human,' Mina Bonino wrote on social media. 'Respect.'
Her comments came as the Brazil international was seen in training on Tuesday with the Spanish giants preparing for their upcoming La Liga clash against Mallorca.
Ahead of the tie, Ancelotti was keen to stress that there was no hidden meaning behind the player's absence from his preferred starting XI of late.
'Today in training, he had a discomfort in his leg,' Ancelotti said. 'I don’t know which one.
'And he wasn’t well; he didn’t recover well from the fever. Afterwards, there was a lot of speculation about this.'
But whether Rodrygo is keen for a move away or staying in the Spanish capital, finding the ideal tactical balance will be important for likely incoming manager Xabi Alonso ahead of next season as the side looks to reassert their dominance of European football.
The 24-year-old star has played for Real Madrid since 2019, chalking up over 250 appearances for the club following his move from Santos.
Should the Brazilian make the decision to leave the Bernabeu will spark a huge transfer battle across Europe and particularly in the Premier League.
Clubs including Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City all having expressed interest in the forward over the last few months.
Should a move to the Premier League materialise this summer, Rodrygo would arrive with a rich portfolio of trophies under his belt, having won the Champions League twice, LaLiga three times and the Copa del Rey once during his time in Spain.