Reports suggested the 20-year-old Auxerre defender had been in close contact with United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, receiving letters and Christmas cards as well as a United shirt with his name and the number six on the back.

But today his agent, Olivier Jouanneaux, said: 'I know that he has not said that to anyone. I think what they did is use what he said two or three years ago.

'The fact that two great European clubs are interested in Philippe is notnew, especially because he has kept improving in the past years.

'There has been constant contact with Manchester United and Arsenal but I guess some other big clubs also keep good relationships with the players they could buy one day.