Cowan (30), the All Black halfback, had been subject of speculation this week he had signed with English club Gloucester club and was off to England later this year.
But he dampened down those thoughts yesterday and said his focus was on the here and now.
"I've got nothing to comment on that front. It is all speculation at the moment. My mind and my focus is here with the Highlanders and that is where it will be for the coming weeks," Cowan said.
"It is a given that I am off contract at the end of the year and no doubt my manager is looking overseas with certain clubs. The story has started and there will be a time and a place where something will be announced."
He confirmed nothing had been signed.
A move overseas appears highly probable for Cowan, who is about to bring up a century of games for the Highlanders and Southland. He will play his 99th game for the Highlanders tomorrow night, if he takes the paddock against the Rebels in Invercargill, and has played 93 matches for Southland.
If he does get to the hundred mark for both franchise and province, there would not be much left to motivate the No 9 and it would be time to cash in with an overseas deal.
Cowan appears to be losing the battle for the starting halfback position at the Highlanders and Aaron Smith has been preferred in recent weeks.
Cowan said playing his 99th game for the franchise was not something he had dwelt on.
"It will be a pleasure to get on the field in Invercargill in front of my own people and will be great to get out there and hear a parochial crowd, as we know they are down there. It has been a while since I have been down there playing rugby."
Cowan said the Highlanders were getting used to a dry track in the covered Forsyth Barr Stadium and would want a nice hard ground to take on the Rebels.
Whatever eventuates - and fine weather is forecast - Cowan said the Highlanders wanted to get back to winning ways after the 33-26 loss to the Brumbies in Canberra last week.
"It was certainly disappointing last week with what happened. But we have taken a lot of learnings from it and you will see a much improved Highlanders outfit on Friday [tomorrow] night. Obviously it [the loss] was a wee hiccup but it is a long competition and we will grow from that this week.
"We were just a bit slow to react to the breakdown and what they were trying to do... we just did not adjust to that as a team."
Cowan laughed off suggestions about stepping into the first five-eighth role, given the Highlanders were wafer thin in that department.
"I've actually had a wee go there at club footy but apart from that, I don't really see myself there."
