O'Neill: No move for Bosingwa March 19 2008
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has strongly denied claims that he had approached Porto for Jose Bosingwa.
The Portuguese side's president Pinto da Costa claimed that he had rebuffed an approach from Villa, after rumours that Manchester United were interested in the player had started doing the rounds.
Da Costa said Villa had been turned down because Bosingwa was not for sale.
O'Neill has made it clear that he plans to make strategic additions to his squad this summer, but insists that Bosingwa is not part of those plans.
The Villa boss claims he has not been in contact with Porto for the best part of a year and is looking at options elsewhere.
He told the club's official website: "We have made no bid whatsoever. It's not true.
"That doesn't mean we're not interested in players. I know this story is definitely a regurgitation because no-one from Villa has spoken to anyone from Porto in the last nine months.
"This is a categorical denial from me; it's as simple as that because we haven't spoken to anyone."