Man United target set for Sao Paulo stay, says club director

Manchester United have been told their pursuit of Lucas Moura is destined to fail.

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted his interest in the Brazilian and has reportedly seen a £27m bid turned down by Sao Paulo.

But there were thoughts that United could rekindle their interest and offer a higher amount for the exciting 19-year-old.

Yet Sao Paulo director Adalberto Baptista has told ESPN Brazil that the decision is final and that Moura is going nowhere.

"There are no negotiations going on. Everybody knows that we got an offer for him, and rejected it. It's also known that Lucas doesn't want to leave. The only person keeping the expectations alive is his agent," said Baptista.

"The decision is final. There will always be great teams going after great players. This mismatch between the European and Brazilian transfer window makes it hard for national clubs, and we have to deal with that."