Manchester United have dismissed newspaper reports that they have signed Lazio and Argentina midfielder Juan Veron for Stg£22 million.
British daily newspapers claimed the Premiership champions have completed up a deal with Lazio for Veron, who is currently involved in a passport row in Italy.
But United's director of communications, Patrick Harverson, insisted this morning: "Manchester United have not signed Juan Veron."
Sources close to the club also said there was no deal in the offing in the foreseeable future.
Veron, 26, faces an Italian Football League disciplinary hearing today over his alleged use of a false passport. The Argentine could face a two-year ban from the game if the committee finds that he sought to gain European Union status with false documents to avoid Italian restrictions on non-EU players.
As well as scotching any transfer plans such a ban would likely rule Veron out of the 2002 World Cup finals. Yesterday the Italian league's prosecutor Carlo Porceddu recommended a two-year ban for Inter Milan's Uruguayan striker Alvaro Recoba, who faces similar charges to Veron.
Porceddu has also pushed for two-year bans for AC Milan's Brazilian goalkeeper Nelson Dida and two former Roma players - Brazilian Fabio Junior and Argentine Gustavo Bartelt.
Veron is also due to appear in an Italian court on October 11th to face charges of gaining an Italian passport through false documentation.