Bryan Richardson, Coventry City’s chairman, has firmly quashed speculation that star striker Robbie Keane is on his way to Inter Milan in a £10 million deal.

A national newspaper reported that Inter’s coach Marcello Lippi was a huge fan of the young Irishman and that the Italian giants were preparing an offer which would be £4 million more than Coventry paid Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this season.

But Richardson said there had been no contact with Inter and in any event Keane would not be leaving Coventry City.

He also denied another element of the speculative story that Inter had first refusal to buy Keane when the time arrived.

Richardson said:

"No one has first refusal. There is no clause or option in Robbie’s contract to that effect. He is going nowhere. I am trying to build a team not dismember it.

"We want to fill Highfield Road and when we move to the new stadium we want to fill that as well. The only way to do that is by having a successful team."

The chairman also confirmed he will be in top level talks with the president of the Belgian club Ghent tonight, to try to resolve the conflict over Cedric Roussel’s transfer fee.

The 21 year old striker, who has impressed with his early appearances for Coventry while on loan from Ghent, says he wants to play for the club on a permanent basis.