Everton have rejected a Manchester United bid for Leighton Baines.
The Toffees told United, whose new manager David Moyes begins work on Monday, the full-back is not for sale.
United bid between £10 million and £12m for Baines, who was valued at £15m by Moyes when United expressed an interest last year.
Baines, named in the Premier League Team of the Year for the last two seasons, is identified as a replacement for Patrice Evra, whose form has been regressed since the 2010 World Cup.
One of the most popular United players among supporters, Evra enjoyed a resurgence last season, scoring four times but remains defensively suspect.
Moyes brought boyhood Blue Baines to Everton in 2007 for £6 million from Wigan Athletic, and the Liverpudlian has emerged into one of the premier full-backs on the continent.
Bayern Munich were keen on signing Baines in 2010 but he instead signed a new contract with Everton.
The 28-year-old's deal expires in 2015.
Only yesterday Baines spoke of how keen he was to start working with the new manager Roberto Martínez after his switch from relegated Wigan.
"He was one of the first names linked with the job and the feeling straight away was he would be a great appointment," he said.
"He has a different style to what we have been used to but I think it is progressive and it will move us forward.
"It is also exciting for the players to be able to try that now. The style in general appeals to a lot of people.
"We have time to work on it, whether it is a different style of play or whether the formation changes.
"By the time we kick the first ball of the season we will be well versed on what he wants to do."