Photo: Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images

Cesc Fabregas has been away from the starting lineup more often than not this season, and he has only started five league games, as Antonio Conte prefers Nemanja Matic to the Spaniard.

This has made the rumour mill link him with Real Madrid, clubs in the Serie A, and also Shandong Luneng, a Chinese club.

However, Shandong Luneng have dismissed suggestions they are planning to lure Cesc Fabregas away from Chelsea, and despite the transfer window in China remaining open until the end of February, Shandong Luneng have made it clear they have no intention of moving for the 29-year-old.

“Yikes! What a super competent agent we have. But Fabregas is not our cup of tea,” a post on the club’s official Weibo account reads.

“Please, for God’s sake do not spread the fake news. Shandong Luneng will not buy another foreign player this season. Our coaching staff have already made elaborate arrangements for our foreign players.

“In the meantime, we will remain committed to producing home-grown talents for the Luneng academy. How about bringing up our own Fabregas…”

Fabregas is tied to Chelsea until June 2019.