Manchester City dismissed claims they have accepted a bid from Barcelona to sell Bernardo Silva as they battle to keep the popular midfielder.
The La Liga giants are interested in landing the 27-year-old for a second consecutive summer but their pursuit has raised eyebrows amid deep-rooted financial issues.
Silva had told City last year that he would like to pursue a move to Spain, motivated by wanting to live closer to his family in Portugal.
While Pep Guardiola has publicly stated that the Premier League champions will not stand in the way of unsettled players leaving the Etihad Stadium, there remain only three weeks left in the transfer window and City would need to secure a replacement.