Lyon striker Karim Benzema, who has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United, has not yet been the subject of any offers and is keen to remain at the French outfit until next summer.
The French attacker is admired by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who has been increasingly linked with a move for the player in recent days as Cristiano Ronaldo edges ever closer to joining Real Madrid.
A sizeable portion of the proposed £80m fee that United will receive from the Portuguese star’s transfer will be made available to Ferguson to acquire new talent, with Benzema having been placed towards the top of the list of probable signings.
However, despite fervent speculation that an offer could be in the making Lyon director Bernard Lacombe says there have been no official approaches for the 21-year-old and that the club do not envisage selling him at this stage.
"The fax is not overheating," Lacombe told le Dauphine Libere. "Even if you should never say never in football, there is a lot of noise about nothing at this moment.
"The idea is still to keep Karim for another season."
Benzema, who has also been linked with Real Madrid and Inter, is also intending to remain at Stade Gerland until after next summer’s World Cup, according to his agent.
"OL don't need liquid assets and Karim wants to stay until the 2010 World Cup," said Karim Djaziri. "On our part a departure is not on the agenda."