West Ham United defender Jose Fonte has accused the club's co-owner David Sullivan of "ignorance" after he said his kids had "begged him not to sign" the Portugal international.
Former West Ham boss Slaven Bilic signed Fonte, 33, from Southampton in January for £8 million but made a slow start to life at the London Stadium.
In an interview with The Guardian last week, Sullivan had said: "I'm very involved with physically bringing in the players. I'm not involved in the strategy. The manager said he wanted Fonte from Southampton and [Robert] Snodgrass from Hull. My kids begged me not to sign them."
Fonte, who is currently sidelined after ankle surgery, was unimpressed with Sullivan's remark but said he remained determined to do his best for new manager David Moyes.
"It's ignorance," he said in the Telegraph. "I'm not going to say anything. It's not going to change who I am. It's not going to change what I do.
"I'm going to keep being the good professional that I am. I am going to keep working hard to try and help my teammates and the manager. What has been said has no effect on me or who I am."
Asked whether Sullivan's comments could prompt him to leave West Ham, he said: "That decision is not for me. I am 33 years of age. I have 500 or 600 appearances. I know what I have done in football. I know how hard I have to work to be in this position. It makes no difference to me. I will still continue to be the same guy I have always been."