Gelsenkirchen, Germany  - Schalke 04 Monday sold midfielder Fabian Ernst to Turkish side Besiktas but denied striker Kevin Kuranyi was for sale.

Ernst, 29, who won 24 caps for Germany between 2002 and 2006, moves immediately for an unconfirmed fee of 4.5 million euros.

The Bundesliga club confirmed unsettled midfielder Albert Streit was joining SV Hamburg on loan but denied it wanted to sell former Germany international Kuranyi.

Media reports said several Premier League clubs were interested in signing Kuranyi who told Kicker magazine on Monday he felt Schalke were not interested in extending his contract beyond 2010.

However club general manager Andreas Mueller said in a statement it was "totally wrong" to say Schalke wanted to sell the striker who "continues to be a valuable player for us."

Kuranyi was banished from the German national team by coach Joachim Loew after walking out in October.

Mueller said there had been no recent contract negotiations with the player, but in talks in October after his exit from the national team the club made it clear it wanted to extend his contract. (dpa)