Manchester United transfer news: Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe refuses to sell Matt Ritchie in January

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has confirmed that they will not entertain any offers for midfielder Matt Ritchie this January as they have no intentions of selling their best players. Ritchie caught the eye of clubs across the Premier League last season when he scored 15 goals and assisted 17 in the Championship. However, he has not been able to keep up his brilliant form in the Premier League, scoring two and assisting only one thus far.

Manchester United have been linked with a move for the player, with Louis van Gaal in the market to add more pace and creativity to his squad. The Red Devils have managed to score only 17 goals thus far, which is much lower than other teams in the top seven.

Ritchie's ability to carve past defenders and his eye for a final pass would be a brilliant addition to the team. Memphis Depay, who started the season brightly, has failed to live up to expectations so far and has been relegated to the bench, while Ashley Young has also failed to make a significant change with his recent performances.

"Matty is a good player so it's not a surprise to me he is being linked with the top clubs. When Matty is on form and playing well he is a threat to everybody," Howe said, as quoted by the Mirror.

"It's not welcome by us. We are not a selling club and we want to add to the squad. We are not looking to sell anybody. It's a compliment to the players whenever you get interest in them. It means they are playing well and we are performing at a high level. But the decision will be very much with us whether we decide to sell or not," he added.

Meanwhile, Martial's injury, while on international duty, means that the wide left position is up for grabs, with Wayne Rooney likely to keep his position as striker after scoring a brilliant goal against France. The 20-time English champions have also been linked with moves for Newcastle wide man Ayoze Perez and Porto winger Yacine Brahimi, but Van Gaal is reportedly holding out for Arjen Robben, who may be available after being involved in an altercation with Robert Lewandowski at Bayern Munich.