Shandong Luneng denied on Tuesday a possible move by Brazilian international Elias Mendes Trindade to the Chinese Super League club, which recently named former Brazil coach Mano Menezes as head coach.
"It's sheer fabrication," a Luneng official told Xinhua.
The Jinan-based Luneng is interested in signing midfielder Elias, and the deal is highly possible as Menezes once coached Elias in Corinthians and the Brazilian national team, according to Brazilian media.
Apart from Brazilian clubs, the 30-year-old Elias had also played previously for Atletico Madrid of Spain and Sporting Clube de Portugal. He was called up into Menezes' Brazilian team in 2010.
Elias scored five goals in 24 appearances for Corinthians in 2015, helping the club claim the title of Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A, the top-tier Brazilian football league.
