Iker Casillas has ruled out leaving Real Madrid before his contract runs out in June 2017.

The veteran goalkeeper’s declaration will end the transfer saga that has linked Manchester United’s David de Gea with a summer move to Madrid – for now.

Speaking after his side’s 0-0 draw against Atletico Madrid, Casillas informed the press that he has no intention of leaving the club before his contract expires.

“I want to stay until 2017, when my contract ends.” Casillas said in his post-match press conference. “I want to end my career at Real Madrid.”

Casillas started his career in Real Madrid’s youth system in 1990. He became the youngest goalkeeper ever to play a Champions League final when Madrid defeated Valencia 3-0, just a few days prior to his nineteenth birthday.

The 33-year-old is currently captain of both Real Madrid and the Spain national team, and is a major influence in both locker rooms; as well as being a legend of Spanish soccer.

Real Madrid president Florentino has pledged his loyalty to Casillas following the fall-out of former-manager Jose Mourinho’s decision to bench the goalkeeper during the closing stages of the 2012-13 season.

Mourinho’s decision created a massive rift that tore the locker room apart in Madrid and sabotaged the team’s campaign that season.

Although it is widely understood that Real Madrid have earmarked David de Gea as their future number one, club officials do not want to force Casillas out before his contract expires. They would prefer the veteran player leave on his own accord, so to avoid any possible problems with the players in the dressing room.

It has also been reported that De Gea has told Madrid officials he will not join the club until he is guaranteed the starting position in goal.

Until that time, the United goalkeeper has professed that he is happy playing in Manchester and has been boosted recent developments which have seen his side on the verge of Champions League qualification for next season.

With that said, the likeliest scenario has always been that Casillas and his back-up Keylor Navas remain Real Madrid’s first and second-choice goalkeepers for the next two seasons, while De Gea signs an extension with Manchester United for a substantial increase in wages.

United will try to include a considerable release clause in De Gea’s new deal – which has yet to be agreed – in order to ward off future interest from clubs. But Real Madrid have always shown that money isn’t an issue when they decide to delve into the transfer market.

Once Casillas’ current deal begins to run down in 2017, Madrid officials will once again look towards De Gea to replace the team captain in goal.

Although, there is another scenario.

Real Madrid have been monitoring Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno in recent months.

It is understood that both clubs have been in contact and Leverkusen is willing to listen to offers for the talented young shot stopper.

Real Madrid officials rate 23-year-old German highly and believe negotiations for the player’s rights will progress without any hitches.

Leno’s current deal is set to expire in June 2018, but the goalkeeper has a buy-out clause of £13 million.