David Batty has revealed he is to take legal advice after Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale declared the former England midfielder is "no longer capable of playing at the top level".
Batty has not featured in the first-team picture at all this season following the appointment of Terry Venables as manager in succession to David O'Leary.
Following his re-appointment as chairman at the club's annual general meeting yesterday, Ridsdale revealed: "All I can tell you is that Terry Venables has decided that David is no longer capable of playing at the top level. That is unanimous because of the problems with his knees that he has suffered."
Batty's agent Hayden Evans told the Press Association this morning that the possibility of the player's retirement had been mentioned at the AGM.
He said: "Given that David Batty strongly refutes the majority of claims made by the chairman and has no intention of retiring it is with regret that he will now be taking legal advice regarding the comments made by the club at the AGM."