Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has delivered an emphatic update on the futures of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho at Old Trafford.
Both Mainoo and Garnacho are regarded as important first-team players for the Red Devils, but speculation over their long-term futures at the club have lingered in recent months.
It has previously been reported that Man United would reluctantly consider selling both home-grown players as their exits would represent pure profit under the Premier League's financial rules.
Big spenders Chelsea were linked with a move for Mainoo during the January transfer window and it is understood that they still hold an interest in the 19-year-old midfielder.
Meanwhile, the Blues and Serie A outfit Napoli were both credited with an interest in Garnacho in January, with the latter alleged to have failed with a £40m offer for the 20-year-old winger.
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Will Man United sell players to boost summer transfer budget?
Ratcliffe has now overseen a year as co-owner of Man United since INEOS spent £1.3bn to purchase a 28.94% stake in the club, and he has delivered his verdict on several key issues around the club in a series of wide-ranging interviews.
The 72-year-old has discussed how much Man United will have to spend in the summer to reinforce Ruben Amorim's squad and whether selling players will help increase the club's transfer budget.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Ratcliffe said: "It's a combination. There will be a budget for him, and I'm not going to reveal that. Obviously that budget changes based upon who we may choose to sell because that would supplement the budget. We are not at a place where we could reveal that at the moment."
However, Ratcliffe has reassured Man United supporters that the club does not intend to sell either Mainoo or Garnacho in order to balance their books.
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Mainoo, Garnacho will not be sold to boost Man Utd's finances
"No, no. We won't be selling players because of the state we are in financially," Ratcliffe said when questioned over how upset Red Devils fans could be if either Mainoo or Garnacho were to be sold.
"The way we are resolving the financial issue is to cut the...the club had got bloated so we reduced that and will finish it with a lean and efficient organisation.
"That's how we will address the costs. The player decisions are ones that (CEO) Omar [Berrada], Ruben [Amorim] and (technical director) Jason [Wilcox] - and a bit me - will make in the summer. And that will all be focused on how we are going to improve performance. That's all."
Mainoo, who is allegedly valued at around £70m, is earning around £20,000 per week on a contract that runs until June 2027, while £60m-rated Garnacho is pocketing in the region of £50,000 per week on a deal that expires in June 2028.
Meanwhile, Ratcliffe has revealed how dire Man United's financial situation has become, admitting that without their controversial cost-cutting schemes, the club would "run out of cash by the end of this year".
Ratcliffe has also acknowledged that some Man United players, currently at the club or out on loan, are "overpaid" and "not good enough".
Oliver Thomas
