Brighton and Hove Albion are not believed to have had any contact with Chelsea over a potential January deal for centre-back Lewis Dunk.
Reports emerged on Sunday suggesting the Blues had reached out to Brighton to express an interest. A fee of £50m is suggested, and the Seagulls were said to be prepared to sell him for the right price.
However, according to Brighton-based outlet The Argus, there is nothing to this story whatsoever, with a source inside the club said to have described the rumour as 'absolute nonsense'.
Brighton have no desire to part ways with Dunk, who is on the fringes of the England setup after proving to be one of the Premier League's most reliable defenders.
They see him as a crucial part of their push for a place in the Premier League's top 10, so they are simply not prepared to sell Dunk for any sum of money.
There has been plenty of speculation about who Chelsea could look to recruit now that their transfer ban has been lifted. They have already struck a deal for 16-year-old Norwegian striker Bryan Fiabema, but the Blues are still looking for their first blockbuster signing.
A centre-back is believed to be high on their wish list. Bournemouth's Nathan Aké appears to be the favourite to head to Stamford Bridge, given Chelsea have a £40m buy-back clause, but West Ham United's Issa Diop has also been suggested.
However, with Andreas Christensen proving his worth during the recent 3-0 win over Burnley, Frank Lampard may decide against an extensive search for defensive reinforcements this month.
A deal for Aké would still make sense as he is comfortable playing on the left of defence.
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Source : 90min