Manchester United have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Lyon's Moussa Dembele after the Ligue 1 side released a statement which said the forward is not for sale.
Sources have told ESPN that United have been interested in signing Dembele with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the market for centre-forward and having missed out on Erling Haaland.
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However, Lyon have said they do not want to let the 23-year-old leave the club in January.
"Lyon have moved to reaffirm their desire, just as in the summer of 2019, to keep Moussa Dembele," a club statement read. "Lyon have complete confidence in Moussa and count on him as we build a powerful team for the seasons to come."
Sources said Dembele is keen to return to England and has been left disappointed by Lyon's results this season. They sit 12th in Ligue 1 with just 26 points from 19 matches.
He started his career in the Premier League with Fulham, suffering relegation to the Championship in 2013-14 season, before he moved to Celtic in 2016. He made his name in Scotland with some outstanding performances. His two full seasons in Glasgow yielded back-to-back domestic Trebles.
Solskjaer has said he would like to bring new players to United in January, and sources have told ESPN he is interested in signing Juventus' Emre Can and Sean Longstaff from Newcastle.
Information from ESPN correspondent Julien Laurens was used in this report.
