MANCHESTER United were yesterday forced to deny that they had received a takeover approach after a wave of bid speculation pushed their stock market value up by £39 million sterling £319 million in a few hours.

As the share price jumped 13 per cent to 517p, the club moved to rubbish a report in the London Times that the TV and hotels group Granada, or the Whitbread pubs and restaurants group, or even United News and Media (publisher of the Daily and Sunday Express) were interested in bidding for the current League champions.

On the record the club said: "The board is not aware of any proposals."