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.