Nilmar dismisses Al Nasr interest, saying ‘I want to stay’ at Internacional

DUBAI // Al Nasr target Nilmar has denied receiving any offers from the Dubai club, insisting no amount of money could persuade him to leave his current club Internacional.

Media reports in Brazil last week had claimed Nilmar, 31, was on his way to Nasr following a €3.5 million (Dh14.2m) bid by the President’s Cup champions.

The club are looking to replace their prolific but mercurial Senegalese striker Ibrahima Toure, who has failed to report for the pre-season.

Nilmar, however, has dismissed those reports saying he is happy at the Porto Alegre club and has no intention of leaving, unless the Internacional management want him to.

“I have not received any offers from anyone,” the former Brazil international, who is in his third spell at Internacional with his current contract running until 2017, was quoted as saying by the Brazilian media.

“I have been in this profession for 12-13 years and every six months, I have seen such stories, attributing rumours. But I have always made it clear that I chose to come to this club and I am happy here.”

Nilmar returned to Internacional, a club where he started his career in 2002 before leaving for Lyon in 2004, as a free agent in 2014 after terminating his contract with Qatari club El Jaish.

“I have signed a three-year deal, but I wish I had signed for four years,” said the former Villarreal star, who has also played for Al Rayyan in Qatar.

“This club is my home and I want to stay. No amount of money can make me leave this club. I have had a very good career financially. If I leave, it is because the [club] president has made that decision. So I have to keep doing my job to make sure the president does not sell me.”

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