Queens Park Rangers manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has defended his position after reports in The Telegraph which claimed, the former striker "negotiated a fee of £55,000 to act as an ambassador for a sports company that proposed selling players to his club".
Hasselbaink is the latest name to be embroiled in the undercover operation in the newspaper this week. Sam Allardyce has already lost his job as England manager, while Championship side Barnsley have suspended their assistant manager Peter Wright over corruption allegations.
The Dutch manager spoke to football agent Scott McGarvey and Claire Newell, where he was offered money to speak to investors of a fictitious company in Singapore that wanted to become involved in football transfers.
Hasselbaink has denied any wrongdoing, and released a statement on Wednesday night where he claimed their was nothing "unusual in being offered to be paid to make a speech".
"I have today, through my lawyers, responded in full to the accusations levelled against me by The Telegraph. I was approached by Mr McGarvey and Ms Newell of The Telegraph purporting to be players' agents. They offered me a fee to make a speech in Singapore. I do not see anything unusual in being offered to be paid to make a speech. I did not make any promises in return. I did not ask QPR to purchase any of the players who were said to be managed by Mr McGarvey and Ms Newell and did not and would not recommend the purchase of a player for my personal gain. I deny any accusations of wrongdoing on my part."
Queens Park Rangers added they will undergo a "thorough internal investigation regarding this matter". The team's next game is away to Fulham on Saturday afternoon in the Championship.
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