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Manchester United's hopes of signing midfielder Fabinho dashed by Monaco chief

Monaco's season gets underway with the French Super Cup match against Toulouse on Saturday: Getty Images
Monaco's season gets underway with the French Super Cup match against Toulouse on Saturday: Getty Images

Monaco have killed off any lingering hopes Manchester United may have had for signing midfielder Fabinho.

The French club have been stripped of some of their finest talents this summer and are currently fighting off the advances of Real Madrid for youngster Kylian Mbappe.

But vice-president Vadim Vasilyev has come out fighting and claims Monaco will sell no more players this summer.

Both Fabinho and midfield partner Thomas Lemar have been linked with moves to the Premier League, but Vasilyev said at a press conference on Wednesday that neither will be leaving.

“We have kept all of the key players that we intended to keep,” Vasilyev said.

“I will address speculation relating to the case of Lemar. He is staying with us. He is an immense talent and is essential for the team.

"Fabinho stays, he is an essential player in the midfield.”

Fabinho, who played at the base of midfield alongside Chelsea new boy Tiemoue Bakayoko during Monaco’s run to the Champions League semi-finals, has been repeatedly linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer and even admitted he would love to work with manager Jose Mourinho.

However, it now appears Mourinho will instead move for Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic who could find first-team minutes harder to come by following Bakayoko’s arrival at Stamford Bridge.