Agent: City interest in Maicon a joke

And the powerful right-back, who has 50 caps for Brazil, was part of the Samba Boys' successful Confederations Cup campaign in South Africa earlier this year, scoring against USA in the group phase.

As a result, the defender was tipped to leave Italy during the close-season, with Chelsea, Real and both Manchester sides believed to be interested.

But after further speculation surfaced linking Eastlands' boss Mark Hughes with a January bid for Maicon's services, his agent Antonio Caliendo has revealed there is no chance of the player joining the Blues.

"Maicon is always in the papers and on the market on a daily basis. There is always something different," he told 24oredisport.com

"One day it's Real, the next it's United and more recently it has been City. The player has already said he wants to remain at Inter.

"If Real or United knock at the door then that's one thing, but City? What would Maicon do at City? Let's not joke around."