Portsmouth have rejected as "completely untrue" a report that they have signed Brazilian midfielder Marcelo Mattos, 24, from Greek club Panathinaikos by activating a release-clause in his contract with a bid of £5.9million.

Mattos has impressed in his first season in Greece, attracting much attention from other clubs in Europe, after arriving last summer from Sao Paulo's Corinthians.

But the player who is believed to be part-owned by agent Pini Zahavi, a close friend of Pompey owner Sacha Gaydamak, is not one of the five stars Pompey say they want to sign this summer.

Pompey's communications director Gary Double said: "There is no truth in this report at all."