Barcelona director Xavier Vilajoana has unsurprisingly denied the club has held talks with Manchester United over a transfer for Ansu Fati and confirmed the 17-year-old is not for sale.
Fati is regarded as one of the club's brightest prospects and became Barcelona's youngest ever goal scorer earlier this season.
The youngster has made 24 appearances in the first team this season, finding the back of the net five times.
Spanish outlet Sport outlandishly claimed United viewed Fati as a possible alternative to Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho and had opened talks with super agent Jorge Mendes to engineer a move to Old Trafford.
They claimed United were willing to pay an 'astronomical amount' in order to secure his signature.
However, Vilajoana has dismissed the validity of the reports, insisting there has been no contact with United.
"For us, there's no story with Ansu, we have never spoken about selling him," he told the same outlet which produced the spurious report. "We won't use players from the academy to make cash.
"In principle, we have no intention of selling the players we believe will make the first team."
MEN Sport understands United remain firmly focused on signing Sancho from Dortmund in the upcoming window but have identified Velez Sarsfield star Thiago Almada and former Manchester City winger Rabbi Matondo as back-up options.
Last month, MEN Sport reported that United were close to finalising a deal for Barca younsger Marc Jurado.
Vilajoana admitted that it is possible the 16-year-old will leave the club.
He said: "The bet on the academy is serious and we have renewed deals by convincing them, not going crazy.
"But yes, he's one of those that could leave..."
