A Manchester United source has told Football Express News new boss Louis van Gaal did not attempt to lure Yaya Toure from the blue side of the city, contrary to widespread media reports.
Numerous publications in the UK and overseas ran with the story that the Red Devils gave the Ivory Coast international the opportunity to quit rivals City and become one of the highest earners at Old Trafford.
In the subsequent hours the 31-year-old pledged his future to the club, telling Sky Sports News a transfer is out of the question.
And a United insider told FEN there was never any truth in the rumours, and van Gaal wants to assess his current squad before making wholesale changes.
Toure, who scored 20 goals last term to fire City to the Premier League title, looked to be on his way out of the club earlier on in the summer when he and his agent made unflattering comments about the Blues.
Toure’s representative Dimitri Seluk hit out at City for failing to adequately acknowledge his client’s birthday in May, despite footage emerging of team-mates presenting him with a cake during a post-season flight overseas.
The player refused to contradict Seluk’s quotes, sparking speculation that he would hand in a transfer request after the World Cup in Brazil.
His younger brother Ibrahim then tragically died of cancer during the tournament and Toure told France Football that his club would not grant him compassionate leave to spend time with his sibling before he passed away.
However, he has now drawn a line under the issue by insisting he wants to make fans happy by staying for the long haul.