Zidane coy on reports claiming Kepa has already undergone medical to complete Real Madrid transfer

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has refused to confirm or deny recent reports claiming that Athletic Club Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has already undergone a medical ahead of completing his proposed move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Kepa has been tipped to leave San Mames in recent months with the Basque side failing to tie him to a new long-term deal.

The 23-year-old keeper was expected to stay at Athletic until the end of the season before completing a free-agent move somewhere else once his contract expires in the summer.

But reports in Spain since December have claimed that Real Madrid are instead ready to meet his €20m (£17.8m, $24.1m) release clause and sign him now in order to beat competition from other suitors in the summer.

Earlier this week Cadena Cope reported that Zidane gave the green light for Real to complete the transfer during a meeting held on Tuesday [2 January] with president Floreninto Perez and Los Blancos director general Jose Angel Sanchez.

Later Spanish outlet OK Diario claimed that Kepa underwent a medical in Madrid on Thursday evening ahead of completing his transfer to Real Madrid in the coming days.

AS and Marca have since backed those claims while assuring that Kepa passed the medical without any problem despite having missed Athletic's last few matches due to a foot injury.

However, Zidane failed to confirm those reports in a press conference after Los Blancos secured a comfortable 3-0 victory at Numancia in the first leg of the Copa del Rey last 16.

"Could I confirm that [Kepa has undergone a medical]? No. I don't know anything. I can't confirm anything," Zidane said, adding more fuel to the speculation.

Meanwhile, the Real boss expressed his delight over a victory which left his side on the verge of securing qualification for the next round.

"We picked up a good result at a difficult ground, against a team who fight hard and played well. I'm happy with the result because winning 3-0 here is not easy. In the second half we had some difficult spells, but we're happy overall, particularly with the first half," Zidane added.

"We struggled for a while when they went a man down. They were better than us then, but it was just part of the game. We found it hard in the second half but the result is all that matters".

The game was especially positive for Gareth Bale, who scored the opener as he made his first starting appearance since September.

"Bale's start to the game was exceptional and he really radiated positivity," the Real boss said. "He played for an hour and I thought he looked to be in good shape. We are happy and want to keep moving forward. The idea is to get some continuity in the side. It is his first game playing from the start and playing for an hour. We need to keep on in this manner and get into a rhythm with him."