Ghana defender Harrison Afful has poured cold water on reports linking him to a shock move to Turkish side Mersin Idmanyurdu insisting he wants to stay at MLS side Columbus Crew, GHANAsoccernet.com can exclusively reveal.

The Ghana defender played last season for MLS side Columbus Crew where he signed a one-year deal but claims he is still owned by the club.

There are reports the 29-year-old will travel to Turkey this week to seal the free transfer deal that will see him triple the wages he earned at MLS side Columbus Crew.

But Afful has described news of leaving the Ohio-based side as false saying he wants to extend the expiring contract.

"Those putting up those stories can’t be serious. I’m still a player of Columbus Crew. It was a short contract but I want to renew it," Afful exclusively told Ghana's leading football news outfit GHANASoccernet.com.

Afful was a key performer for Columbus Crew as they won the Eastern Conference finals but lost the MLS Cup final to Adam Kwarasey’s Portland Timbers.