Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has insisted the club took a football decision over midfielder Jonas Gutierrez's future. The 31-year-old is expected to return to Tyneside within the next few weeks after winning his battle against testicular cancer.
He will do so after quotes attributed to him from South America suggested he was told to find another club following his diagnosis.
although his Magpies future had been in doubt for some time.
Pardew said: "It was a pure football decision and those are decisions that have to be made.
"We've supported him and tried to do what we can when his illness was made known to us before it was known publicly.
"What he has done is absolutely marvellous, to recover like he has. I believe he's picking up an award. We're very proud of what he's done.
"He needs to rest assured it was purely a football decision."
