Oxford United chairman Firoz Kassam has shot down speculation that teenage star Jamie Brooks is set to join Premiership aces Arsenal.

And Kassam insists he had no intention of selling the 18-year-old striker at the moment.

"We need some decent players at the club and we need someone who can hopefully help us get out of the third division," he said.

There have been rumours for some time that Arsenal have been keeping close tabs on Brooks, who has hit five goals in eight league starts this season.

And a report on one of the fans' forums claimed Arsenal were ready with a £2.4m bid for Brooks which would also allow him to remain at Oxford until the end of the season.

"We'll take it!" laughed Kassam.

"Seriously, though, I don't know where people get this sort of thing from. It's absolute rubbish.

"The facts are that I saw Arsene Wenger in London on Monday afternoon - he was at my hotel - and the name of Jamie Brooks wasn't even mentioned.

"There is absolutely no truth in these reports and I have no intention of letting Jamie go at the moment. He's a good young player who is playing quite well and he's not for sale."

Read more on the U's on This is United