Real Madrid outcast Rafael van der Vaart has insisted he wants to stay and fight for his place at the Santiago Bernabeu, despite being continuously linked with a January move elsewhere.

The Dutch playmaker has fallen out of favour with La Liga giants this season, and was all set to leave last summer, only to be given a squad number at the last minute following the sales of Arjen Robben and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

Recent reports have linked the former Ajax star with a January move to England, with Merseyside duo Liverpool and Everton supposedly lining up loan deals.

The German media also reported that former club Hamburg were interested in taking Van der Vaart back to the HSH Nordbank Arena, though the player insists he still has unfinished business to tend to in the Spain capital.

"I am going to stay, I will not request a transfer," he told German daily Bild.

"It was not like it should have been in the past but now I am getting to play games and believe I can succeed at Real Madrid.

"This is nothing against Hamburg, the Hamburg fans or the club. They are still very much part of my heart.

"This is a decision in favour of Madrid and not against Hamburg," he concluded.