Rossi's contract with Yamaha expires at the end of this season and the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper on Saturday quoted Bartholemy as saying Kawasaki were trying to hire the Italian rider after that.

"We are interested in Valentino, even though I've never spoken either to him or his manager. But I'd like to and soon, because this would be the perfect time," Bartholemy was quoted as saying.

The team boss, however, says Kawasaki have not considered going after Rossi.

"There was a story in an Italian magazine recently after a journalist came to me and asked me if we have any interest in Valentino," Bartholemy told the official MotoGP website.

"I said we would have to be stupid not to be interested because he is the rider in the world championship.

"But we have never spoken to him and there is no contact between Kawasaki and Valentino Rossi."