Villarreal's Italian international striker Giuseppe Rossi this Friday denied having said he wanted to return to his homeland when the transfer window reopens in January.

The striker who had been the subject of interest from Juventus and Fiorentina over the summer, was quoted on Wednesday as saying he was desperate to return home.

"I hope to return to Italy in January," he said in declarations published in the Italian press and reprinted Spanish sports paper Diario AS.

"I don't know what happened this summer when both Fiorentina and Juventus were interested in signing me, but any Italian side would be good for me. The important thing is for me to return to the 'Calcio' ," he was quoted as saying.

Rossi now denies having ever saying those words.

"Everything from the other day is a lie. I have said on many occasions that I am very happy here," he told AS.

"I do not want to have any problems with Villarreal or with the fans. Everyone treats me well at this club and I am looking forward to having a really good season with them," he said.

"What I want to do now is discover who published these lies, because all they have done is hurt my image and damage the club," he said.

Rossi has scored 33 goals in 92 appearances for Villarreal and insisted that all he was thinking about was adding to that tally when Villarreal faces Espanyol in the BBVA Primera Liga this Sunday.