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Darmian not expecting to be sold by Mourinho

Manchester - Manchester United full-back Matteo Darmian is convinced he is part of manager Jose Mourinho's plans and doesn't expect to be offloaded in January.

The Italian defender struggled to break into Mourinho's team at the start of the season, making his first appearance in late October for the goalless draw with Burnley, before slotting in at left-back as United beat Swansea 3-1 on Sunday.

However, Darmian insists he is still working hard to become a starter at Old Trafford and isn't thinking about a possible transfer.

"I've read things like that, but I don't think it's true," Darmian told Sky Sport Italia.

"I keep going on my way, working to improve and to give the coach a selection headache. I'm not thinking about the transfer market. It's still too early."

The 26-year-old joined the Italy squad after the win over Swansea, and is delighted to be part of the squad to face Liechtenstein.

"It's always nice to be part of the Azzurri and representing my country is the best thing there is. As usual, coach [Giampiero] Ventura will find me extremely motivated," he added.

"When you are not playing, there is always the risk that you won't get called up, but I've always worked hard and I've been playing a bit more these past few weeks. Now I'm delighted to be here."

Italy will face Liechtenstein on Saturday at the Rheinpark Stadion in a Group G 2018 World Cup Qualifier in a group consisting of Spain, Italy, Albania, Liechtenstein, Israel and Macedonia with the winner of the group automatically qualifying. 

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