England's Luke Shaw controls the ball during a team training session at the Tottenham Hotspur training ground in Enfield, north of London, March 3, 2014.
Southampton not prepared to listen to offers for Shaw Reuters

Southampton have dismissed claims Luke Shaw in on the brink of a move to Manchester United and reiterated their desire to retain their coveted stars.

The 18-year-old left back has emerged as one of the Premier League's finest young talents in his two seasons in the top flight with the Saints and could be rewarded with a place in Roy Hodgson's England squad for the World Cup this summer.

Shaw's rapid progress has seen him linked with moves to both United and Chelsea with both clubs in search of long term replacements for their respective left backs.

Recent reports suggested United were on the verge of securing a deal for the Southampton youngster than would make him the highest paid teenager in English football history to spark an unprecedented summer of spending in the wake of David Moyes' dismissal.

But Saints' executive director Les Reed insists the club will remain defiant during the summer transfer window and have no intention of cashing in on any of their sought-after starlets.

"As we stand, there have been no enquiries or offers for any of our players. That is the truth," Reed told BBC Sport.

"No club has been given permission to talk to any of our players. We want to improve the squad going forward and retain our current players.

"We have had a great season and we want to improve on it. We want retain the players we've got. They are all contracted and we intend to honour those contracts.

"Any enquiries we get will probably be met with a 'no, not for sale'. Our intention is to keep this very good team together and build on it by bringing in players to improve on that. We have our targets and these are things we talk about on a daily basis."

Academy graduate Shaw has thus far shown little desire to leave St Mary's after signing a new long term deal last summer. However, bids that are expected to eclipse fees previously received for Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could force the club's hand.

Given Patrice Evra's unresolved contract situation and his advancing years, a new left back is thought to be a priority at Old Trafford this summer despite uncertainty as to who will be leading the club.

Ryan Giggs will oversee the club's remaining four games of the season as interim manager while Louis van Gaal is considered the favourite to take the job on a permanent basis.

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