Mark Hughes has insisted that Stoke City have "no intention" of allowing Ryan Shawcross to leave the club in the January transfer window.
It has been speculated that Manchester United are considering an approach for the defender, who came through the United youth system, in the New Year.
However, the Potters manager told reporters: "I'm not sure where that originated from, I think somebody told me it might have come from America at some point.
"There's been no contact and I don't expect there to be any, and we wouldn't encourage any contact anyway.
"Ryan is very settled here, he is the captain of the club and we have no intention of allowing him to leave. He's a big part of what we want to do in the future."
Stoke face Swansea City in the Premier League this weekend.
