Norwich City chief executive David McNally and manager Chris Hughton have dismissed claims from Ricky van Wolfswinkel's agent that the striker has a clause in his contract should Norwich City be relegated from the Premier League.

The Sporting Lisbon striker's agent, Louis Laros, told Portuguese sports newspaper A Bola: 'There is a special clause in the deal accepted by all parties that stipulates if Norwich leave the Premier League then the future of Ricky van Wolfswinkel will be open again.

'That is the reality, but we are confident in the ability of the English club to remain in the top division.

'For now Ricky is only thinking about Sporting and helping them to get results. At the end of the season he will start to focus on Norwich.'

David McNally described the reports as 'absolute rubbish'.

At Thursday's press conference before the Reading game Chris Hughton said: 'Any suggestion that there's a relegation clause in Ricky van Wolfswinkel's contract is not fact. He will join us on July 1.'