George Boateng has sought to defuse his bitter row with Nicky Barmby that has escalated since an alleged skirmish between the pair at the end of Middlesbrough's clash with Leeds at the Riverside on Saturday.
The Boro midfielder was reported to have originally claimed that Barmby had made racist comments to him, a suggestion the England and Leeds man comprehensively rejected in an impromptu press conference on Monday.
But in a statement issued by Middlesbrough on their official website, Boateng said he now wanted to "put their altercation behind them".
"Following weekend press reports, Monday's Leeds United press conference and intense media speculation, George Boateng wishes to clarify a number of matters which have been inaccurately reported and debated in the media," the statement on www.mfc.co.uk read.
"First of all, while there was clearly an altercation between George and Nicky Barmby at the end of Saturday's game and words were exchanged in the heat of the moment, George wishes to make clear that he has never accused Nick of making racist remarks as he knows this to be untrue.
"Secondly, George wants to make clear that he wanted to put their altercation behind them after the game and made attempts to see Nick to do so."
PA