The Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini has pledged his commitment to the club for the remainder of the season and said he will give "100% like I always do" as he looks to lead the club to Premier League safety.
The defender's future on Tyneside has been under scrutiny in recent weeks after it was reported he wanted to return to Argentina for personal reasons, with San Lorenzo thought to be his intended destination. However, Coloccini said he had never agreed to join the Argentinian club and that the speculation has not affected his performances.
"The last few weeks there has been a lot of talk about my future," the centre-back told the Newcastle website ahead of Tuesday's Premier League fixture at Aston Villa. "But I am staying here. And of course I will give 100% like I always do. I have been here five years and Newcastle has given me a lot and done a lot for me. I have to be true to the club.
"I love football and once I am on the pitch it is different. The problems I have are outside the pitch. I think if you look at a game like Norwich or the last few games I have played normally. The results were not the best but I have given everything to try to win.
"I heard in the city and around the club that the fans think I have my head elsewhere thinking about other things or that I am not the same player as last season. But, like I say, for me football is my life, I love it. When I am on the pitch I give everything to win.
"I give 100%. I did that at Newcastle, Deportivo La Coruña or any club I've played at. I am the captain of the team and I take the responsibility. I think everybody has problems outside of their work in life. It is difficult but now I am here and all I have in my head is to make sure we are in the Premier League next year. That is my only objective.
"In the last few days the newspapers picked up a letter that I wrote," he said. "The letter is true but the meaning of it is different once translated from Spanish to English. I never said that I would go back to San Lorenzo. I never spoke to any team – the only reason to go back to Argentina would have been personal problems.
"But they knew I am a supporter of San Lorenzo and the fans were excited because they thought 'he supports us and this is a big chance to come to San Lorenzo'. The rumours were crazy because they thought I was coming back."
Coloccini also expressed his gratitude to the Newcastle fans for the support they have shown him since he arrived at the club in 2008, describing them as his "family".
"I would like to say to the supporters of Newcastle United Football Club that I want to stay here and I thank them for supporting me," he said. "The last few weeks has been difficult for them, I recognise that..
"I am alone here with my family. We don't have grandparents here or uncles and aunties. It does make it difficult. Not for me personally, because I come to work everyday, but for my kids and wife. Here though, the club and the fans are my family at the moment. The love that they give to me with my song and on the pitch for me is fantastic. It's the best present they can give me."
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