by Mark Bassey

Emmanuel Addo has rubbished stories that claimed that his client Stephen Keshi, turned down a new deal from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Keshi has been out of contract since the 2014 World Cup ended and was recently on the shortlist to replace Paul Put as Burkina Faso coach.

Addo confirmed that their lawyers were looking at the deal on the table and a decision will be reached soon.

“I’ve been called by so many people about the report on an online platform. I’m thoroughly embarrassed that such a report has been attributed to me. I’ve not spoken in all that has happened to anyone till this minute since Mike Umeh’s time that we were negotiating with NFF,” Addo said on ITV.

“I’ve not spoken about Keshi, Super Eagles, and Nigeria Football. I did not speak to the wire agency or anybody. Privately, I’ve spoken to my friends, but our position which, because of what has happened, I will come out with something now.

“The lawyer is studying the contract offer. It’s a draft – an offer, this is not the first time we are talking with the NFF. I don’t think it will be any different from what happened the first time he came and even during Umeh’s time when efforts were on to renew for contract extension.

“We had negotiation, if it’s different, then we will do what they are saying, but not until we negotiate and then there is no give and take. We will shake hands and walk away, because there is a tomorrow, who says if he leaves now or things don’t work out he can come back to work,” he explained further.

“So we don’t do things the way people are making it out. Keshi is smarter than that, they just gave us an offer, and the lawyer is studying it. Until the lawyer is done, I’m not a lawyer, but I’ve read the contract, I will talk to my brother and client on what the lawyer is saying.

“We put it on record and we are very appreciative of the NFF on the contract offer. Negotiation – it’s a give and take, but that has not even happened – for a website to quote me that I granted them an interview. It is not true.

“I don’t have the mandate – he (Keshi) never asked me to make such statement. We do a lot of consultation before we get to that point. It’s when negotiations fail, [that’s] when Keshi will say thank these people and we can move on.

“The lawyer is yet to get back to us. We will sit down and discuss with Keshi and if he gives me his mandate, then I will have what to say. So on what basis are we rejecting NFF contract? Then we sit down with NFF to discuss. I can’t tell you on any issues about his side, salary and others because I don’t have his mandate.”