Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has claimed that Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson enquired about Hatem Ben Arfa.

The highly-rated attacker and team-mate Karim Benzema have been repeatedly linked with a move to the Premier League, with Arsenal and Chelsea also rumoured to be interested.

Back in the autumn, Aulas warned any interested clubs that Benzema and Ben Arfa would not be sold until Lyon had won the Champions League - and the Lyon supreme has spoken out again after United were linked with a £40 million double swoop.

"I told Sir Alex that Benzema and Ben Arfa will not leave in the next two years," Aulas said.

"We want to build our future on them.

"If he wants to exchange Cristiano Ronaldo for Ben Arfa we could talk about it, but they would have to also give us a bit of money."

The French champions meet United next week in the last 16 of Europe's elite club competition.

Striker Benzema has scored 16 goals in 24 league games this season, while Ben Arfa has impressed on the wing.

Sporting Life / Eurosport