Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has insisted that the club is not blackmailing Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder.
The Nerazzurri have stated that the 28-year-old will not play until he agrees to a pay cut in his reported £200,000-per-week salary.
Doubt now clouds Sneijder's future with the club, but Moratti has denied that they are holding him to ransom.
"As far as the club is concerned, we are completely open to the player, there is no sort of blackmail," Football Italia quotes Moratti as saying.
"If a contract is valid, it's certainly valid to ask a person if it can be improved in some way. That doesn't change the fact that for the time being he's not playing for technical reasons.
"Obviously no-one would want to throw away someone of his value. The club is calm, we haven't forced anyone to do anything. His contract is valid, no one is forcing him, Sneijder is free."
Sneijder joined Inter from Real Madrid in 2009.
Michael Penkman
