Fulham defender John Paintsil has denied claims he was given a bonus by manager Roy Hodgson for keeping Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo quiet last month.

Reports have suggested that the Ghana international said he received a £10,000 bonus for negating Ronaldo in the Cottagers 2-0 win on March 21 but he has leapt to his own defence saying he never said such a thing.

"I can tell you categorically that I never said anything of the sort," he told the Cottagers' official website.

"It's a completely ridiculous story and I'm very unhappy that a newspaper has made up quotes and attributed them to me.

"While on international duty I spoke of how proud I was about the win against United, but I didn't once say that I had received any money from the game. These quotes are rubbish and I'm very angry that these lies have appeared.

"This nonsense will not distract me from my primary target which is helping the club record its highest ever league finish. I am determined to make it happen.

"It has been a great season so far and, after beating Bolton and Manchester City away from home, we've put ourselves in a really strong position.

"We've got to take it one game at a time, starting with a very tough game against Stoke at the Cottage this weekend and that's what I'd rather focus on."