Saints have NOT agreed a deal to sell Nathaniel Clyne to Manchester United – and remain in talks to try and convince him to extend his contract at St Mary’s.

Reports have suggested that Clyne to United this summer was a ‘done deal’ with the right back stalling on penning a new contract with Saints, with his current one due to expire in little over a year.

If the 24-year-old rejects the contract offer from Saints, the club are likely to sell him this summer when they can still expect a fee in the region of £15m-£20m for the England international.

However, they have not given up hope just yet, though Saints manager Ronald Koeman is pressing for an answer so he can begin plans for next season and put the wheels in motion to bring in a suitable replacement if required.

Fresh speculation around Clyne’s future sparked up after he was left out of the side to face Hull last weekend.

Koeman explained away Clyne’s absence by insisting he was merely tired and that Maya Yoshida deserved a run out.

Clyne appeared just days later at a charity fundraising event for Ebola victims which was attended by the media.

He gave an interview in which he admitted to being flattered by the interest in him from a host of big clubs and refused to talk about his Saints contract.

It is understood that Saints were unaware he was attending the event or going to speak to the press.

United are one of several high profile sides linked with a move for Clyne, and, if reports are to be believed, are the frontrunners to sign him if he opts to leave Saints.

Clyne joined Saints in 2012 after allowing his Crystal Palace contract to run out, with the club having to pay a modest compensation fee to the Eagles who developed him as a youngster.

He is just two short of 100 appearances in his Saints career and has scored five times, as well as winning four England caps this season.