Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has warned Real Madrid they face a battle if they try to prise Jose Antonio Reyes away.
Reyes, 21, was victim of a recent hoax in which he expressed his admiration and desire to play for Real.
Wenger said: "I understand perfectly Reyes said he wants to play for Madrid, but I don't like the way the information was gleaned from him.
"But he's an Arsenal player, we backed him when we saw him at Seville and saw his ability as a player."
Real distanced themselves from the hoax, which tricked Reyes into thinking he was talking to the Spanish club's director of football Emilio Butragueno.
Reyes reportedly described his team-mates as: "bad people," adding: "I wish I was playing for Real Madrid, hopefully it could happen."
But Wenger said: "Ever since he was little he has always watched Spanish football and that's where his admiration for Real Madrid comes from.
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