Monaco deny Kranjcar approach

Portsmouth midfielder Niko Kranjcar faces up to three months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery

Monaco president Jerome de Bontin has denied that his club ever made a bid for Portsmouth midfielder Niko Kranjcar.

Pompey manager Harry Redknapp recently claimed he had rejected a 15million euro (£11.8million) bid for the player from Monaco, upsetting the Ligue 1 club in the process by suggesting people in the small principality have no interest in football.

But De Bontin told French newspaper L'Equipe: "He is one of the best players in the world, but we didn't make a 15million euro offer as Portsmouth said,"

The 23-year-old Kranjcar is believed to be attracting interest from a host of other clubs this summer, with Arsenal and Serie A side Roma both mentioned.