ROME (AFP) - Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri on Friday poured cold water on transfer rumours linking his club with a move for highly-rated Hamburg midfielder Rafael van der Vaart.

The Netherlands international almost moved to Valencia in the close season before his club blocked the move and he has been touting himself around Europe's top clubs all season.

Following recent speculation linking him to Juve, van der Vaart made it clear he wants away from Hamburg, but Ranieri seems less than keen on a move for the player.

"Van der Vaart is not a central midfielder in the sense that we understand here in Italy," he told the Gazzetta dello Sport.

Juve are also believed to be tracking Italian under-21 playmaker Sebastian Giovinco, who plays for Empoli, and the talk in Turin has been about whether or not Ranieri could accommodate both players in his team.

"I don't think van der Vaart will come but nonetheless there would be no problem playing him and Giovinco together," he added.

That news will be a blow to van der Vaart who seemed to be lining himself up for a move to Turin last week when he revealed he had rejected a new contract offer at Hamburg.

"My dream of playing in a very big club is great. And if I tie myself to Hamburg until 2012 it would be too long for me," he said.

"There isn't an official offer. I've heard that Juve are interested and I can imagine myself playing there."