Manchester United legend Jaap Stam says his sale had nothing to do with explosive book.

It's been claimed Sir Alex Ferguson sold Stam to Lazio over revelations in his book.

But the Reading manager revealed to the Telegraph: "Every club has like three or four players who are, how you call it? Like the spokesmen, the committee, and I was in there as well and occasionally you speak with a couple of people from the board and about the situation of the club.

"That's when they told us that budget-wise they needed to do something. They didn't mention names but… It wasn't about the book. We spoke about it with the board as well about having a problem with the budget at the time.

"They needed to sell somebody eventually and, of course, if there had been an offer placed for a player. I had been there three seasons, a bit more, and won everything with the club. They paid, what was it, £10-11million for me? And they could sell me three years later for £15-16million."