Witsel vows to stay at Zenit amid Chelsea, Juventus links

Zenit star Axel Witsel wants to spend another season with the Russian champions, despite reports linking him with a transfer.

The Belgium international has been heavily linked with a move to Juventus as a replacement for Paul Pogba, who joined Manchester United for a reported world-record fee of close to £93million this week.

Premier League duo Chelsea and Everton have also been credited with an interest in the 27-year-old, who is entering the final year of his contract in St Petersburg.

But although Witsel is tempted by the prospect of playing in England or Italy’s top flight, he plans to put off transfer talks until 2017.

“I want to stay at Zenit for another year and I’m focused exclusively on the season that’s just started,” he told R-Sport.

“If I have to leave Russia one day, I have no preference between the Premier League or Serie A. Both championships are incredible.”

158 – Axel Witsel was the Zenit’s outfield player with the most recoveries (158) in the Russian Premier League 2015/16. Wanted.

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) August 11, 2016

Witsel did not rule out the prospect of signing an extension of his contract with Zenit, a club he joined from Benfica in 2012 for a reported fee of €40m.

“I don’t know, but I never say never,” he said. “Today, I am fully focused on the current season, I want to give everything, and as to what will happen next, wait and see.”